Kruger Park has been given the role of morning line favorite and high weight for the $18,000 Governor’s Speed Handicap on Wednesday March 17th at Portland Meadows, but he will have to defeat some classy rivals to get to the line first. The 6 year old son of Johannesburg is a perfect 2 for 2 at Portland Meadows and comes off a facile win in an Invitational Handicap back on February 24th. Troy Stillwell will once again be on board the big grey for trainer Carlos Moreno, but the competition will be much stiffer on Wednesday.
Shem has been installed as the 3/1 second choice and will make his Portland Meadows debut off a good second place finish in a $50,000 allowance/optional claiming race at Golden Gate Fields. Shem was claimed out of that race by North American Thoroughbred Racing Company and has been shipped up into the barn of Pat Jarvis for the Governor’s Speed. Shem has been primarily a router and has had great success on both turf and synthetic surfaces. He is however 0 for 4 at today’s six furlong distance and has not been on the board in any of those four tries. Mario Gutierrez will come in for the ride. These connections teamed up last season at Portland Meadows to take the Oregon Derby with El Cugat.
Another interesting new face is that of the 5 year old mare Secret Gypsy. Secret Gypsy is a Grade 2 winner and a look through her past performances shows she’s been very close to beating the last two Breeders Cup Ladies Sprint Champions, Informed Decision and Indian Blessing. Secret Gypsy is coming off a long layoff and has been training at the Pegasus Training Center east of Seattle.
The other three horses in the Governor’s Speed are Portland Meadows regulars who are all strong older sprinters. Coronas at Delmar is a perfect 4 for 4 at Portland Meadows and has been steadily rising up the class ladder for trainer Jonathan Nance. Nance will also send out Ex Mountain Cop who was second behind Kruger Park in their last start. Ex Mountain Cop is 10 for 15 lifetime at Portland Meadows and 8 for 15 career at this distance. Stealth Attack is another who almost always seems to run a big race at Portland Meadows and completes a very stellar cast. Between the six runners in the Governor’s Speed, they have career earnings of $1,147,447.
Post time for the Governor’s Speed Handicap is approximately 4:15pm PST on Wednesday March 17. The Governor’s Speed Handicap goes as race 8 of a 9 race card, and first post is at 12:40pm.
News and Notes….Seven Torrents will headline the co-featured Willamette River Stakes which will be race 6 on Wednesday March 17. The 3 year old has been perfect at Portland Meadows thus far including a huge win in the $48,000 Oregon Thoroughbred Breeders Derby.