Wartock, Cool Honor in rematch

CALGARY, Alberta - Ten older horses, including four returnees from opening weekend, make up Friday's sixth-race feature for $10,000 claimers on an abbreviated program of seven "half-milers," or four-furlong sprints, at Stampede Park.

Wartock, 10, a four-furlong specialist in his youth, comes back on a week's rest after finishing second behind Cool Honor last Friday, drawing the tricky rail post.

To Wartock's outside is Cool Honor, who won last Friday's race by 2 1/2 lengths with a strong run down the lane under Rico Walcott, who retains the mount.

Their most serious rivals are Ransome Road, who disappointed as the favorite in his 2008 debut after a slow break, and Golden Hunt, who takes a plunge down the claiming ladder after finishing fourth as the odds-on favorite against $22,000 claimers here last Sunday with no excuse.

Perry Winters returns aboard Ransome Road while Quincy Welch takes over on Golden Hunt.

Meanwhile, opening weekend offered the venerable Kings Risk an opportunity to extend his unusual winning streak, and the 10-year-old came through, winning the finale on Sunday for trainer Gordon Buehler.

In each of the last four years, Kings Risk has won his first - and only - start. The latest was his sixth consecutive win, dating back to 2003. His lifetime mark is now 8 for 11 at Stampede Park, the only course on which he has raced.