Tribal Belle gives Jordan a fair shot

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Terry Jordan snapped out of a rare slump at Woodbine last week, when he won with 5 of his 6 starters. Two of those tallies came on Sunday, when he won a $40,000 claimer with Captain Cugat, and a first-level allowance with Whiskeyontherocks.

In Wednesday's feature, Jordan will send out Tribal Belle, who should be favored in the third-level allowance/$80,000 optional claimer.

Tribal Belle has come a long way since she lost her rider in her debut in the spring of 2008 at Hastings. She captured her next three outings, an $8,000 maiden race, a $35,000 claimer, and an $80,000 claimer in her first local appearance in July.

Tribal Belle missed the board in her two August starts last year, but she got back on the winning track in an $80,000 claimer in September. She doubled up in a first-level allowance, narrowly lost the Oct. 22 Ruling Angel Stakes, and then went to the sidelines for the rest of the year.

Normally a front-runner, Tribal Belle came from just off the pace to prevail in her season opener in a second-level allowance with a $62,500 claiming option May 9. She failed to stay seven furlongs in her latest, but managed to salvage third in that grass sprint, which was at Wednesday's level.

Jim McAleney will ride Tribal Belle, who drew ideally on the outside in the six-horse field of fillies and mares.

Shawanaga began her campaign on a positive note, scoring for $40,000 and $50,000 on the Polytrack. In her most recent race, which came on the grass, she made a premature wide move after getting away slowly, and then faded in the stretch to end up fourth.

Ray Sabourin retains the mount on Shawanaga for Nick Gonzalez, Woodbine's second-leading trainer in number of victories.

Native Legend is winless since landing the Star Shoot Stakes in the spring of 2007. She was unplaced in her lone start of 2008, and finished fourth and fifth in her two appearances this year.

Yolie checked in second to Shawanaga May 8 after racing wide in that $50,000 claimer, and hasn't run since. She is being reunited with David Clark, who was aboard for her last score nearly a year ago.

Browning has been idle since finishing seventh in a tough five-furlong allowance on turf Feb. 1 at Gulfstream. Her new trainer, Mark Casse, leads the standing here with 18 wins from 97 starters.