Vindgari set for 2009 bow

If Vindgari runs as well as he did when he led from gate to wire in his debut at Belmont Park last September, he will be very tough to handle in Monday's feature race at Northlands Park.

The six-furlong first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up drew 10 horses and goes as the sixth race.

Vindgari will be making his first start for trainer Cody Anderson. In New York, he was trained by Todd Pletcher. After his strong front-running win in his debut, Vindgari ran a dull race to finish sixth in a $75,000 optional claiming race at Belmont on Oct. 12. This will be his first start since then. Anderson has been impressed with how Vindgari has trained leading up to his first start in Canada.

"I think there is a little talent here," Anderson said. "He has done everything I have asked and he's certainly training well."

Anderson said he would have liked to have gotten one more work into Vindgari before he brought him back to the races.

Diamond Doc is the top money earner in the field, with $49,407 in earnings, but he might want more distance. He closed out 2008 with second-place finishes in restricted stakes at Northlands - the one-mile Sales Stakes and the 1 1/16-mile Beaufort. His lone win was in a one-mile maiden race.