Wannatalkaboutme on short rest

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Owners Martha Gonzalez and the members of the MAD Racing Stable had the time of their lives campaigning last year's Canadian champion 2-year-old, Wholelottabourbon. This year, they have a female version of Wholelottabourbon, the unbeaten 2-year-old Wannatalkaboutme, who will be favored in Sunday's $162,450 Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine.

Wannatalkaboutme trounced a field of $40,000 maidens when she made her debut June 10. Trainer Nick Gonzalez said he ran her with a tag then because she has a breathing problem, which could hinder her future development.

"Her airway is about half the size of a normal horse," Gonzalez said. "It's only a matter of time before it catches up with her. There was a lot of talk about her after I breezed her a couple of times, and I wanted to lose her, but by the time she hit the eighth pole, I didn't. She won under wraps."

Wannatalkaboutme went on to wire open company in the five-furlong My Dear Stakes on July 2, winning with an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

Gonzalez said he almost bypassed the My Dear because there are several restricted stakes for her, but he decided to run after she worked to his satisfaction before the race. Gonzalez said Wannatalkaboutme has trained well since the My Dear.

"She's doing tremendous, and I wouldn't be running her back this quick if she wasn't 100 percent," Gonzalez said.

The other contenders in the Shady Well, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-foaled juvenile fillies, are Arzu and Queen's College.

Arzu beat the boys in her debut, including next-out stakes winner Vibank, before finishing far back in the My Dear.

"I really think she's going to be a different horse for this race," said trainer Arthur Silvera. "It looks like she was harboring a virus after her last race, because she just wasn't herself. In the matter of a couple of days, she shook whatever she had."

Silvera said he was elated with Arzu's three-furlong breeze over the main track Wednesday, when she went a bullet 35 seconds.

Queen's College won her maiden with ease in her second start, despite bearing out on the turn.

"She'd never done anything like that before," said trainer David Bell. "It was almost like she spooked from something near the fence. Once he got her straightened away, she was fine again."

Bell said Queen's College has not displayed any similar tendencies in her interim training, and he anticipates a more focused approach from her Sunday.