Star Lady faces stablemate Macho Babe in Princess Margaret

Trainer Greg Tracy thinks Star Lady will be the better horse in the long run, but he isn’t sure that she will be able to handle her stablemate Macho Babe in the $50,000 Princess Margaret at Northlands Park on Friday night. The six-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies drew eight horses and headlines an eight-race card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Mountain.

“Macho Babe is very mature for a 2-year-old, and she ran a huge race in her first start,” said Tracy. “Star Lady didn’t run as fast, but she is a better-bred filly and probably has more potential. They are both training very well.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Star Lady (Last Beyer: 58)

◗ Star Lady was an easy winner going 3 1/2 furlongs when she debuted in a maiden special weight race with Rico Walcott aboard July 5.

◗ Being a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Holy Nova, who won the Grade 3 Ballerina going 1 1/8 miles at Hastings, Star Lady shouldn’t have any trouble handling a two-turn sprint.

◗ Walcott has become the main rider for the barn, and according to DRF ’s Formulator, over the past two years, he has won with 31 percent of his mounts for Tracy.

Macho Babe (Last Beyer: 76)

◗ Her pedigree isn’t as flashy as her stablemate’s, but she couldn’t have been more impressive when she romped in her debut going 3 1/2 furlongs July 1.

◗ The 76 Beyer Speed Figure she earned for her easy win in a race that has produced a couple of next-out winners is not only the best figure in the field but also the top number earned by a 2-year-old filly in Canada.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over t he past five years, Tracy has a 26 percent strike rate with 2-year-olds running in non-graded stakes races at Northlands.

Splendid Scat (Last 2 Beyers: 40-47)

◗ She was no match for Macho Babe going 3 1/2 furlongs, but she came back with a game win going 5 1/2 furlongs in a two-turn sprint in her second start. Trainer Craig Smith was impressed with how she won her second start.

◗ “Watch the replay, and you will see how determined she was,” said Smith. “She was pinned down on the rail the whole way, and she fought back after getting passed a couple of times.”

Shanali (Last Beyer: 45)

◗ Trained by Tim Rycroft, Shanali romped by six lengths when she debuted going 5 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race July 12.

◗ “I’m not really sure how good she is,” said Rycroft. “She’s a big filly that is still growing, so I haven’t really pushed her.”

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Rycroft has won at an 18 percent clip with 2-year-olds at Northlands.