Be wary in today’s Sprints

This afternoon’s fillies-only Eight Thirty Sprint and co-feature Mercury Sprint, for colts and geldings, should be approached with caution for multiple reasons, including the tricky distance of five furlongs straight, the presence of first-time starters in both races, equipment changes effected by trainers, plus, horses returning treated with lasix or being taken off the raceday medication.

Take the Mercury Sprint, for example, Ian Parsard’s JUST TRICK ME, who chased Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes third-place EARN YOUR STRIPE’s into the lane on December 15 at seven furlongs, has been refitted with blinkers and the figure eight removed, which he wore once, his last start at seven furlongs.

Then there is Dennis Lee’s ROY ROGERS, who put in an improved run when refitted with blinkers for his last race, actually disputing the lead with the impressive FATHER PATRICK to the half mile and staying on for third in the stretch run behind second-place EXTRUDER.

In that same race, Patrick Fong’s ONE SOO TRUE was impeded by ROY ROGERS down along the rail, causing him to switch a furlong out. ONE SOO TRUE returns treated with lasix and has worked pretty well, clocking 1:01.0 from the gate last Saturday.

Philip Feanny’s GOD OF LOVE debuted with lasix administered on January 12, working like a bullet, but finished down the track behind FATHER PATRICK. He returns without lasix and continues to look good at exercise.

Gary Subratie never shows his hand on the exercise track, so don’t expect his first-timer, CRIMSON, to do any better than 50.0 for a half-mile and 1:02.2 from the gate. However, he is a half-brother to the useful SARAH LEE and is drawn widest at post-position 11 on the faster stands’ side of the five-straight course.

Punters are advised not to play hero, instead use multiple selections on exotic bets as these runners are unproven and can react either negatively or positively to changes as trainers tinker to find their likes and dislikes.

Look out for Princess Ava

Meanwhile, in the Eight Thirty Sprint, Anthony Nunes’ debutant, PRINCESS AVA, has impressed at exercise in two gallops from the gate, looking quite zippy last Saturday morning in 1:00.2 for five furlongs straight, the first four in 46.2, suggesting that she could get off the mark.One of five first-timers in a field of 15, PRINCESS AVA is not the best drawn at post-position five but has good pedigree to back her exercise gallops. She was sired by a son of Mineshaft, Mine Over Matter, who won seven races on the New York circuit, campaigning at Saratoga, Aqueduct, and Belmont Park, where he was primarily a sprinter yet won his fourth race at eight and a half furlongs.

PRINCESS AVA’s Saturday gallop was listed as the second-fastest that morning, bettered by AXLE ROD’s 1:00.1. AXLE ROD returned on Wednesday to finish second behind back-to-form EL PROFESOR, slowly into stride, having not raced since November 10, but was only beaten by two lengths behind a fast 59.2 for five furlongs round.

Also working well on Saturday was SHE’S ON WINGS, who clocked an equalling 1:00.2 but a slower first half-mile, 47.2, making her possibly PRINCESS AVA’s main threat, having drawn post-position 15, three off the outer rail, the faster side of the five-straight chute, which is always a major advantage.In addition to having a run under her girth, finishing fourth on debut behind RUN THATCHER RUN, who went on to win the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes in his next start, SHE’S ON WINGS has a proven speed sire, Blue Pepsi Lodge, a track-record holder at Calder.Though SHE’S ON WINGS has the draw and an outing in her favour, not to mention veteran Canada-based Barbadian, Simon Husbands, doing duties, PRINCESS AVA appears to have raw speed in her genes, evidenced by her 46.2 split, a full second faster than her more experienced rival.