Tempered Sapphire shoots for fourth straight stakes win in Duchess of York

Tempered Sapphire looks formidable as she shoots for her fourth straight stakes win in the $50,000 Duchess of York Handicap at Northlands Park on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares drew eight horses, including last year’s Duchess of York winner, Canaveral Leader.

There isn’t much doubt that Tempered Sapphire will be the favorite despite having to spot her rivals up to 14 pounds while carrying the high weight of 124 pounds. In her last two starts at Northlands with Rico Walcott aboard, Tempered Sapphire won the $72,750 City of Edmonton Distaff by 10 1/4 lengths and the $49,900 Madamoiselle by 13 3/4 lengths.

Following her two easy wins, trainer Rod Cone shipped her to Assiniboia Downs, where she won the $50,000 Matron on Sept. 1 by just 2 3/4 lengths. However, with Christopher Husbands riding, she got stuck on the rail with nowhere to run for most of the way in the 1 1/8-mile race, and her margin of victory was flattering to her overmatched rivals.

Tempered Sapphire drew the rail again, but she is reunited with Walcott, who likely will draw on her good tactical speed to get her into a stalking position early.

KEY CONTENDERS

Tempered Sapphire (Last 3 Beyers: 79-86-86)

◗ She couldn’t have been more impressive in her last two wins at Northlands, and she only got to run the last eighth of a mile in her win in the Matron.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Walcott has won with five of his seven mounts (71 percent) from Cone in non-graded stakes at Northlands.

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Mia Isabel (Last 3 Beyers: 63-74-72)

◗ The speed of the speed, she won three straight races before finishing second as the heavy chalk in a $25,000 optional-claiming race Sept. 12. She was haltered out of the race by trainer Tim Rycroft.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Rycroft has a 15 percent strike rate running back claimed horses the first time.

Canaveral Leader (Last 3 Beyers: 48-56-66)

◗ Trained by Ron Grieves, she could move forward in the third start of her current form cycle after finishing third as the favorite in the Fall Distaff Handicap on Sept. 20.

◗ Last year, she finished a dull fourth in the Distaff prior to her win in the Duchess of York, so she is obviously capable of turning things around in a hurry.