Tempered Sapphire looks to avoid bounce in Edmonton Distaff

Trainer Rod Cone is confident Tempered Sapphire will come back with another strong performance when she runs Friday in the $75,000 City of Edmonton Distaff at Northlands Park. Post time for the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares is 9:18 Mountain.

Tempered Sapphire is coming off a 13 3/4-length romp with Rico Walcott aboard in the $49,000 Madamoiselle Handicap, in which she upset the heavily favored Saturday Nite Ride and earned a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure. Her previous best Beyer of 70 came in her win in the John Patrick Handicap last year.

“She’s been training great, and I think she’ll come back with another big race,” Cone said. “Rico was very pleased with her when he blew her out five furlongs last Saturday.”

Trained by Dennis Terry, Saturday Nite Ride will try to redeem herself after losing for the first time at Northlands in the Madamoiselle. She clearly did not like it when Quincy Welch tried to ease her into a stalking position early.

She drew the rail, and there isn’t much doubt Welch will be letting her roll early.

“We have gone over it thoroughly, and you can probably guess what the strategy will be this time,” Terry said.

Key contenders

Saturday Nite Ride (Last 3 Beyers: 50-79-77)

* Throw out her last race, and she looks like the winner. She has the best speed in the field and will be hard to catch if she breaks alertly leaving from her inside post.

* Last year, she was never threatened when winning the Distaff by 5 1/2 lengths.

Tempered Sapphire (Last 3 Beyers: 84-62-67)

* She couldn’t have been more impressive winning the Madamoiselle, but she has to be considered a bounce candidate after running by far the best race in her career.

Miss Derek (Last 3 Beyers: 72-71-85)

* She drew the outside post in the five-horse field, and with her good tactical speed, she could get a perfect trip if Saturday Nite Ride and Tempered Sapphire hook up early.

* Based at Hastings with trainer Craig MacPherson, the three-time stakes winner is capable of running big efforts when she’s in the mood.

“She’s certainly talented,” MacPherson said. “But she does have a mind of her own.”

DRF Formulator Fact: Since 2009, MacPherson has won with two of his five starters running in non-graded stakes at Northlands. Last year, he shipped Cougarville from Hastings to win the $53,000 Bird of Pay Stakes.