Tracy has good shot in both Sales Stakes divisions

Trainer Greg Tracy likes his chances to win both divisions of the $50,000 Two Year Old Sales Stakes at Northlands Park on Saturday. To be eligible for the 6 1/2-furlong races, horses must have passed through a Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society sale.

Tracy sends out likely favorite Stripling Warrior in the colts-and-geldings division, which drew six horses and goes as the third race. The Tracy-trained Raider could end up being the second choice behind Emma Jean Too in the fillies division, race 8.

Stripling Warrior, purchased by Tim Rollingson for $8,325 out of the 2016 Alberta mixed sale, is coming off an easy win in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race for Alberta-breds on July 20. It was a big step forward after finishing third going 3 1/2 furlongs in a straight maiden race June 30.

Tracy thinks the half-brother to the $221,139 earner and multiple stakes winner Canaveral Leader will improve further off his four-length win. He was particularly pleased with his four-furlong move around the dogs in 51.40 seconds on Aug. 4.

“That was a great work for him,” said Tracy. “He seems to be getting better each day.”

Stripling Warrior drew post 3, with leading jockey Rico Walcott riding.

The main threat could come from Smoke Boss, a son of Cause to Believe who romped by six lengths when he debuted going 3 1/2 furlongs in a $20,000 maiden claimer July 3. Trained by Joan Petrowski, Smoke Boss came back with a very slow five-furlong work in 1:06.40 on July 18 though.

Raider is a maiden, having finished fourth in her only start, a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Hastings on July 22. The runner-up, Astarte, came back to finish second behind the heavily favored My Aunt Mo in the $50,000 Hard Rock Casino at Hastings last Monday.

What has Tracy excited is the way Raider worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:01.20 with Jennifer Reid aboard at Hastings on Aug. 4.

“She outworked her company, and she did it pretty easily,” said Tracy.

Raider is the third foal out of Montero, who won 11 races, including the $75,000 Wild Rose at Northlands in 2007. She drew post 7 in the eight-horse field. Walcott rides.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Northlands, Tracy has a 28 percent strike rate in 2-year-old stakes races.

Emma Jean Too, trained by Jennifer Hunt, was no match for the gelding Moon Dude in her debut, finishing second by 11 1/2 lengths in a maiden special weight race for Alberta-breds. Running with her own sex in her next start, she rallied to win the $62,000 Princess Margaret here July 29.

There should be an honest pace to set up Emma Jean Too, and she should get a cozy trip breaking from the inside post with Shamaree Muir retaining the mount.

Bitters, second behind Smoke Boss, has trained forwardly for Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Red Smith.