Superfecta fans will love this one

EDMONTON, Alberta - The optional claimer that headlines Wednesday's program affords superfecta fans an excellent betting opportunity as it came up as an extremely competitive affair. Ten fillies and mares go in the six-furlong race.

There is speed signed on, with Nashwaak Dancer, Bear Prayer, Pretty Beaucat and Regal Vicky expected to be prominent early players, and there are mid-pack closers such as R Lucinda, L'il Trooper and Awesome Deal.

* Fillies and mares held the spotlight last weekend, and two invaders were victorious.

On Saturday, Alpine Garden ($7.20) benefited from a heady ride from Quincy Welch to upset favored Tanika in the $100,000 Sonoma for 3-year-old fillies. Welch boldly drove Alpine Garden up between the front-running Beth's Best Bet and Tanika on the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile Sonoma in what turned out to be a winning strategy.

"I was really happy with my position early and had plenty of horse after we went by the pacesetter at the quarter pole," said Welch. "I never asked her until we turned for home."

Tanika, caught three wide early, flattened out to finish 3 1/4 lengths back in second.

* On Friday, Monashee and Dave Wilson found themselves boxed in along the rail the entire length of the backstretch in the 1 1/16 mile Madamoiselle.

"We got bounced around a little and they tried to pin us in," said Wilson, "but when my mare saw daylight she just exploded."

The result was a four-length triumph over She's Italian, giving Monashee ($2.60) her eighth consecutive stakes victory.