Wice O Kat cuts back in distance

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Meadows will usher in the new year with a pair of intriguing events for 3-year-olds on Saturday, when racing resumes on a Saturday-Sunday-Monday schedule that will continue until the meeting ends on April 24.

Saturday's fourth race, an invitational handicap with a purse of $7,000, will match half a dozen fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs. Likely to be favored is Wice O Kat, who upset the boys in the $41,780 Os West Oregon Futurity here on Oregon Championship Day, Dec. 11. The Futurity was at a mile, however, and Wice O Kat will be cutting back 2 1/2 furlongs while trying to catch the extremely quick Gordys Sweet Jordy. Gordys Sweet Jordy showed the way through 5 1/2 furlongs before settling for second behind One Tuft Woeman in the Jane Driggers Debutante here on Oregon Championship Day.

One Tuft Woeman will be one of the favorites in the $10,000 OTBA Stallion Stakes, a six-furlong race that will go as the seventh. One Tuft Woeman, a daughter of Danjur from the barn of trainer Nick Lowe, will attempt to remain undefeated through three starts. She beat maiden special weight company by nine lengths before winning the Debutante.

One Tuft Woeman is one of three fillies in the six-horse field. Heading the male contingent is Abtastic, who just missed against Wice O Kat in the Os West Futurity. Abtastic came back to run fifth in last Saturday's $20,000 Juvenile Mile and returns on short rest.