Wine Stock will try to continue momentum for Tracy

After a cold winter in Arizona, where he won just three races from 48 starts at Turf Paradise, trainer Greg Tracy is off to a hot start at Northlands Park, where he has equaled his win total in the desert from his first 11 starts in Edmonton. Last year, he dominated the trainers’ standings at Northlands, and there is every indication that he will do so again this year.

Tracy has a big chance with Wine Stock in a $25,000 optional-claiming race that will serve as Saturday’s feature at Northlands.

The six-furlong dash drew seven horses and appears to be a wide-open event.

Wine Stock has had two starts since he won a $25,000 optional-claiming race Oct. 13 at Northlands. He just missed in a first-level allowance race March 21 at Turf Paradise and then finished a disappointing fourth as the 6-5 favorite in another first-level race at Sunland Park.

Like Tracy, Wine Stock should be happy to be back at Northlands, where he has won four of five starts.

Wine Stock will be ridden by Skyler White Shield, who will either put him on the lead or let him stalk Corky’s Luck.

Trainer Tim Rycroft also is off to a strong start at the meet, with a couple of wins from eight starts. He entered Corky’s Luck and Lucky Willy.

Corky’s Luck appears to have one way of going, and Lucky Willy could get a nice trip from a stalking position.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Wine Stock (Last 3 Beyers: 46-71-78)

◗ The horse for the course could be coming up to a peak effort in the third start of his current form cycle.

Lucky Willy (Last 3 Beyers: 69-83-73)

◗ He has never raced on dirt, but he fired a bullet going four furlongs in his only work at Northlands.

◗ His race two back at Golden Gate in a first-level allowance race Jan. 10 puts him squarely in the mix here.

Go Max (Last 3 Beyers: 59-78-60)

◗ Trained by Joan Petrowski, he has placed in six stakes at Northlands since he won his maiden when he debuted in a maiden special weight race as a 2-year-old in July 2013. Make that seven if you include the Birdcatcher, where he was disqualified from third for causing interference at the sixteenth pole.

◗ He warmed up for this with an even effort in an allowance race April 8 at Turf Paradise and came back with a decent four-furlong move May 1 at Northlands.