Tiny Giant comes off layoff to defend Sun Sprint title

EDMONTON, Alberta – The $50,000 Sun Sprint Championship Handicap is the most intriguing and competitive of three stakes races on the Canadian Derby undercard Saturday at Northlands Park. Also on the 13-race card are the $50,000 Westerner Handicap for 3-year-olds and up and the $50,000 Sonoma for 3-year-old fillies.

The 6 1/2-furlong Sun Sprint is chock-full of speed and could set up nicely for Tiny Giant, who won the race last year. However, he has been off for nearly two months, and if he isn’t at his best, it’s anybody’s race.

The Sun Sprint drew 10 horses and goes as race 10.

Trained by Joan Petrowski, last year’s Sun Sprint winner looked good in winning a $35,000 optional-claiming race June 6 in his second start of this meet. He came right back with another solid effort, finishing second to Omar for the same condition June 20. Petrowski said she likes the way Tiny Giant is coming up to the race.

“His last two races were pretty close together, so I wanted to freshen him up for this race,” said Petrowski. “He’s doing great.”

Leading rider Rico Walcott was aboard for his last two races, but this time, Tiny Giant will be reunited with Ruben Lara, who rode him in the Sun Sprint last year.

Omar used his good speed to beat Tiny Giant on June 20 and repeated in a $35,000 optional claimer July 15. Trained by Robertino Diodoro, he closed 2014 with back-to-back wins in sprint stakes at Turf Paradise and Sunland Park.

He drew post 2, and there isn’t much doubt that jockey Jorge Espitia will be asking him to use his substantial speed right from the start. He likely will be joined by Brackendale, who is shipping in from Hastings following three straight front-running wins for trainer Nancy Best.

Sun Sprint (race 10)

Key contenders

Tiny Giant (Last 3 Beyers: 77-84-71)

* With a plethora of speed in the field, he could pick up the pieces from a stalking position.

Omar (Last 3 Beyers: 78-81-69)

* The speed of the speed, he could have an advantage breaking from an inside post.

Swiss Idol (Last 3 Beyers: 78-75-68)

* He is trending in the right direction for trainer Rick Wise and could be dangerous coming from a stalking position.

Sonoma (race 4)

With the Northlands Oaks winner Quality Lane running in the Canadian Derby, Some Gave All could be the one to beat in this 1 1/16-mile race that drew eight horses.

Some Gave All will be making her first start for trainer Tim Rycroft after winning back-to-back $30,000 conditional-claiming races at Churchill Downs. She may have tipped her hand when she worked a bullet five furlongs in 59 seconds flat last Saturday.

“We had to skip the Oaks, but it could be a good thing because she’s a fresh horse,” said Rycroft. “She’s been training well, and she came out of her work in excellent shape.”

Leading trainer Greg Tracy has a shot with Star Lady, second in the Oaks, and Eustacia, who dominated the Chariot Chaser and the Red K. Smith before fading as the heavy favorite in the Oaks.

Westerner (race 8)

Seven horses were entered in this 1 1/16-mile event, but it boils down to a match race between Killin Me Smalls and For Cash.

For Cash, trained by Dale Greenwood, upset Killin Me Smalls in the $60,000 Fred Jones Handicap on July 18, but Killin Me Smalls was the inside speed and wouldn’t relax under pressure.

Killin Me Smalls romped by 9 1/4 lengths in the one-mile Spangled Jimmy in his previous race and figures to get a similar trip here. He is trained by Ernie Keller.