Tribal Belle better of barnmates

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Jockey Jim McAleney and trainer Danny O'Callaghan teamed up to capture last Sunday's Jacques Cartier Stakes with the crack sprinter Hollywood Hit. They will try to win their second consecutive Woodbine stakes Sunday with Tribal Belle in the Grade 3, $150,000 Whimsical.

O'Callaghan also entered last year's winner of the six-furlong Whimsical, Dancing Allstar. Both were previously trained by Terry Jordan, who is currently serving a 30-day suspension. They will race uncoupled in the Whimsical.

Tribal Belle, a former low-level claimer at Hastings, blossomed here last year at age 5, when she won 5 of 6 starts and more than $300,000.

Tribal Belle notched her first stakes over seven furlongs in the Grade 3 Seaway in September. She went on to take the six-furlong Ontario Fashion Stakes and then capped a four-race win streak in her last start Nov. 22 in the seven-furlong Bessarabian Stakes. Those achievements made her the landslide winner in the Sovereign Award voting for female Canadian champion sprinter.

"She's just a very impressive horse to be around," said O'Callaghan. "She's a big, strong mare. She's been working good. She's been pretty tough to train the last few days."

Dancing Allstar was Canada's champion 2-year-old filly in 2007, during which she won stakes at Woodbine and Hastings. She had another productive campaign in 2008, but her lone victory in four starts last year came in the Grade 3 Whimsical.

Dancing Allstar has been sidelined since her fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes on the turf here Aug. 1. Like Tribal Belle, she spent the winter at the Classic Mile training center in Ocala, Fla.

"She's a nice mare, but I don't think she's quite as good as [Tribal Belle]." said O'Callaghan of Dancing Allstar. "

Glitter Fox is returning from a five-month break. She won her 2009 season opener following an eight-month layoff in the six-furlong Royal North and went on to finish second in two other stakes before ending up fourth in the Bessarabian.

Authenicat also is making her first start of 2010. Her only win in eight starts last year came in the restricted Ballade Stakes. She trained at Palm Meadows in Florida over the winter before shipping to Keeneland, where she has been working quickly of late.

Proud Heiress is coming off a narrow loss at Turfway in the six-furlong Queen.