Suzette the one to catch in Bird of Pay Stakes

Suzette figures to be a short price in her first start at Northlands Park in the $50,000 Bird of Pay Stakes on Friday. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies drew six horses with Suzette the one to catch and beat.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Suzette romped going 3 1/2 furlongs when she debuted in a $16,000 maiden-claiming race at Hastings on July 15. She followed up with a strong performance in the $50,000 Hard Rock Casino Stakes on Aug. 7.

With Rico Walcott aboard, she posted a fast half-mile time of 45.96 seconds. She was still in front at the eighth pole before tiring to finish fourth. My Aunt Mo won by 3 1/4 lengths and Suzette finished just over a length behind the runner-up, Astarte.

“That was a big race for her,” said Tracy. “She just had the one three and one-half furlong race, and she held on well after being pressured early.”

Tracy was pleased with how Suzette worked a half-mile in company with fellow Bird of Pay starter Move With Joy at Northlands on Aug. 24. Move With Joy is breaking from the rail with Keishan Balgobin riding. She will likely be the second choice in the wagering.

“Suzette outworked her pretty easily,” said Tracy. “I think she’s a pretty nice horse and she should move forward off of her last race at Hastings.”

Suzette drew post 5 with Walcott retaining the mount.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Suzette, by Overanalyze
Beyers: 37-57

◗ That was a big effort in the Hard Rock Casino, and she apparently didn’t have any trouble handling the local surface in her sharp work.

◗ Blinkers come off, and the past five years Tracy has a 26 percent strike rate with horses running without them for the first time.

Move With Joy, by Where’s the Ring
Beyers: 33-19

◗ The Ontario-bred took a big step forward in her second start, and she is the only horse in the field with a win in a two-turn sprint.

◗ The well-bred filly is a full sister to the Grade 2 winner River Maid and Race for Gold, a stakes winner with $304,197 in earnings.

Dazzling Chic, by Court Vision
Beyers: 18-21

◗ She was a sharp debut winner for trainer Joan Petrowski and had a rough trip when she was forced extremely wide going into the first turn in the $62,000 Princess Margaret, won by Emma Jean Too.

Red Bomber, by Big Brown

◗ A first-time starter for trainer Carson Frey, she could be the sleeper. She is a half-sister to All Run, who was the runner-up in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last October, and it is interesting to see Quincy Welch abandon Move With Joy to ride her.