SIGHT LINES

BEAR NOW IN BELLE MAHONE
TODAY AT WOODBINE

Much has been made of the small field in the $100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes and the fact that the useful allowance runner STAR OPERATOR is going to make things tough on millionaire BEAR NOW in the 1 1/16 mile race because she is a sprinter.

Won't be long until we find out but BEAR NOW's 58 and change breezing workout last week was stunning and it is hard to imagine that class will combat any kind of speed challenge.

The Ontario Debutante Stakes is a good event with 3 Steve Asmussen fillies meeting up with 2 Nick Gonzalez gals and PETTY THINGS an intriguing shipper from Chicago.


RED ROCKS IN NORTHERN DANCER STAKES?
and Champs Elysee may go too


The SCHENECTDAY GAZETTE reports that RED ROCKS, scratched out of the Sword Dancer today because of an inflamed hock, could run in the Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine. Red Rocks, a Breeders' Cup Turf winner, just beat Curlin in the Man o' War Stakes.
CHAMPS ELYSEE will also be scratched from the Sword Dancer, the turf is too soft, and trainer Bobby Frankel said he could run in the 'Dancer too.

"Hennig said Red Rocks has been put on antibiotics and will shoot for a start next month, perhaps the Northern Dancer BC Turf at Woodbine on Sept. 7 or the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont on Sept. 27, both Grade I’s at a mile and a half."



SHAKE UP AT ASMUSSEN BARN


Assistant trainer STEVE FLINT is no longer with the Steve Asmussen barn at Woodbine as they have parted ways.

DARREN FLEMING, a longtime Asmussen assistant is currently in town to run the Asmussen ship. They have three contenders in today's stakes race, the Ontario Debutante - JULIET'S SPIRIT.


BABY POWER - Woodbine Thursday and Friday wrap
Impressive 2yo winners for Baker, Attfield

$22,000 and $55,000 was all that was needed to buy the nice 2yo prospects HIGH MIST and LORD OF GREATNESS, two debut winners for the Reade Baker barn on Thursday and Friday respectively.

The former, with a 78 Byer Figure, was the flashiest winner, always long in front of the field and scoring by 5 3/4 lengths. Her owners, Wendy Anderson and Norm Churney, are from Winnipeg.

She's from the first crop of the A.P.Indy sire Olmodavor.

LORD OF GREATNESS, the 2nd debut winner by the sire Greatness at the meeting, ran hard and edged clear of L.A. Rules to win his debut with a 73 Beyer. He is owned by Bear Stables.

LADY SHAKESPEARE, owned and bred by Charles Fipke and a full sister to Grade 1 winner Shakespeare, came from last to win a 6 furlong turf maiden race with a 60 Beyer Figure yesterday.

NICK NOSOWENKO had his first winner of the meeting when longtime maiden SIX ROSES finally broke through yesterday.

EMMA-JAYNE WILSON won three races yesterday while Chantal Sutherland sits out a suspension.