Toubeeb, 'Penalty' will battle up front

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Toubeeb and Penalty Peat will likely battle for the early lead in Friday's featured seventh race at Assiniboia Downs, a second-level allowance with a claiming option of $16,000 at five furlongs. The race has drawn a field of six older males.

Toubeeb won 2 of 3 starts here last year, including one at this level. A 5-year-old son of Labeeb, Toubeeb returned to the barn of trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. after finishing sixth against $30,000 claimers at Stampede Park in early April. Gardipy was one of two trainers who won three races on opening weekend.

Penalty Peat returns for his first start since he finished fifth here Aug. 7. He won three races here last season, all while setting the pace, including two at this level.

Erinsouthernman finished fourth as the favorite in two starts at this level last May, then finished seventh against $14,000 claimers on June 12 before going to the sidelines. A 6-year-old son of Eltish, Erinsouthernman won a first-level allowance race at Churchill Downs in June 2004 and finished third behind graded-stakes winners Toccet and Icecoldbeeratreds in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont as a 2-year-old in October 2002.

Friday's race will be the first start for Erinsouthernman with trainer Carl Anderson, who also won three races on opening weekend.

Apache Surprise is a three-time winner who has also finished second or third 18 times in 36 lifetime starts. He will make his first start since finishing fourth in an allowance race here last August. A 6-year-old son of Smoke Glacken, Apache Surprise likely needs more distance.

Lebite, a winner in 2 of 18 starts at Hastings, makes his first start at Assiniboia Downs. He is trained by Sid Martin, who has relocated here from Vancouver.

The field rounds out with Arthurlooksgood, who makes his first start since October. A winner at this distance in his second start last May, Arthurlooksgood finished second in the Harry Jeffrey Stakes last August. He makes his first local start against older company.

* Jockey Tim Gardiner won three races on opening weekend to top all riders. Keveh Nichols, Travis Hightower, Renaldo Cumberbatch, and Lenny Frazzita Jr. each won two races.