Typhoon Aaron tries to wire them again

PORTLAND, Ore. - Typhoon Aaron will shoot for his third straight win on Monday when he heads a field of six older sprinters in the top offering at Portland Meadows, a six-furlong race for $3,200 claimers.

Typhoon Aaron, a 6-year-old son of Danjur from the barn of trainer Jim Fergason, is coming off gate-to-wire wins over $4,000 rivals on Dec. 4 and Jan. 1. Those were his second and third wins from five starts at the meeting, as he also wired $4,000 foes in his season debut here Oct. 14. Typhoon Aaron has won 8 of 20 career starts, with all of his wins coming over this surface, and he is 4 for 8 at six furlongs. Joe Crispin, who was up for Typhoon Aaron's last two outings, will again have the mount at 123 pounds.

Free Cocktails could complicate Typhoon Aaron's task, as both horses are confirmed front-runners and Free Cocktails could be the quicker of the two. Free Cocktails, a 7-year-old trained by Dave Runyon, bore out badly on the turn in his last two tries, however, and he was virtually eased. Both of those races were on wet tracks, which he has never relished, and he may go better over fast footing.

Should Typhoon Aaron and Free Cocktails engage in an exhausting speed duel, Dig That Rhythm might be the one to benefit most. Dig That Rhythm, an eight-time winner over this track, normally finishes with gusto, and he is dropping from the $5,000 level for his second start at the meeting.