Will Rogers Downs: Burst of Life streaks into Wilma Mankiller Stakes

Burst of Life will be seeking her seventh consecutive win Tuesday, when she makes her stakes debut in the $50,000 Wilma Mankiller at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. The six-furlong race for fillies and mares will be her first start since November.

“She always runs really good fresh,” said Francisco Bravo, who trains Burst of Life for his wife, Lori. “Hopefully, she will again, but now we’re stepping up in company. It will be interesting to see what happens.”

The Wilma Mankiller drew a field of nine, including Miranda Diane, a multiple stakes winner who is 7 for 9 at Will Rogers.

Burst of Life began her streak in October 2010, with all of her wins coming at Remington Park. The first was in a $15,000 conditioned claimer and two more claiming scores followed in November and December of that year. Burst of Life was then laid off and returned to action in September 2011. She was a prompt winner of her comeback, taking a $20,000 claiming sprint by more than six lengths. Burst of Life went on to win a first-level allowance last October with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 89 and then won a second-level allowance in her most recent start Nov. 19.

Burst of Life will be ridden by Bryan McNeil, her regular pilot since November 2010.

“I think she’s pretty versatile,” Bravo said. “She can be on the lead or come off the pace. I anticipate having a little bit of a speed duel from some of the horses in there, maybe she’ll come from behind.”

Miranda Diane, who won the Wilma Mankiller in both 2009 and 2010, will be making her second start off a layoff. She finished second in an allowance at Will Rogers Downs on March 5, in what was her first out in three months. Nena Matz has the mount for B and S Racing and trainer Shane Seaton.