By Allan Gray

How will   "monster mare" Monashee fare on Poly?

Maple Leaf Stakes – Woodbine Race 8, Saturday

Monashee , the monster mare from the west decides to leave the mountains and head east. Monashee, trained by Tracy McCarthy, is the winner of 11 straight stakes at Hasting Park and Northlands Park including the City of Edmonton Distaff where she beat Winnipeg Sun Stakes winner Culpeper Moon.

Monashee comes into the Maple Leaf with a victory in the grade 3 Ballerina Breeders’ Cup at Hastings Park . A horse that likes to run up near the front, she might have her hands full trying to adapt to the Woodbine Polytrack which tends to favour those coming from the back. Is she as good as she appears? Can she transfer her speed from the bull ring to the big track at Woodbine? Plus, Monashee has not run against this caliber of horse before either.

Arden Belle has won multiple stakes at Woodbine including most recently the Algoma and Belle Mahone Stakes and a second in the Ontario Matron Stakes. Trained by Ronald Sadler, Arden Belle is six of seven in the money this year. You can throw out her last out, a disappointing tenth on a yielding turf in the River Memories Stakes a couple of weeks ago.

I’m in Love , sent out by trained Kiaran McLaughlin, who finished second in the grade three Athenia Handicap at Belmont Park and Serenading, who just missed in the La Lorgnette Stakes last out could also give Monashee a challenge.

The Mrs. Revere (G2) – Churchill Downs Race 9, Saturday

Bit of Whimsy is coming into this race off a victory in the grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland where she beat last year’s Juvenile Fillies Champ Dreaming of Ann a . She has finished first or second in five of her six lifetime starts including a second in the grade 1 Garden City and the grade 3 Sands Point at Belmont .

Trained by Barclay Tagg, Bit of Whimsy has shown she can run from the front as well as sitting in behind the leaders. This versatility will come in handy in this field of fillies and mares that look to have a lot of speed on paper. However, all of them are moving up in class so it could be a little misleading.

Bel Air Beauty , last year’s winner of the grade 2 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland seems to have found her home on the turf, not missing the money in her last three starts. Bel Air Beauty, who finished eighth in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies behind Dreaming of Ann a, finished third to the 2-year-old champ this year in the grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes on Arlington Park ’s turf in early September.

Bel Air Beauty has also won the grade 3 Valley View Stakes at Keeneland in her last start. The 3-year-old daughter of Smart Strike also comes from off the pace and could take advantage of the apparent speed in this race.

The Commonwealth Turf – Churchill Downs Race 9, Sunday

Distorted Reality , trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, could finally get the job done in this one. Second in his last two outs, Distorted Reality finished third behind Nobiz Like Shobiz, beaten less than a length, in the grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes back in August. Nobiz Like Shobiz went on to finish fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Distorted Reality has a stalker style of running that could suit him well with the speed that is showing up in this race.

Inca King who beat Distorted Reality in their last outing runs very inconsistent. He is a speed horse that has thrown a couple of really bad races, however he does seem to like Churchill Downs turf, winning the grade two Jeff erson Cup in June. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he could throw another good one if he is on.

Equitable , trained by Bill Mott  is stepping up into stakes company after winning two straight at Saratoga and Keeneland. This impeccably bred 3-year-old could be ready for his spotlight in this one.

Three-year-old tests 9-year-old at Calder Saturday

Florida Million Day – Calder Races 4 through 11, Saturday

The best Florida breds will be running for combined purses of $1.2 million at Calder Race Course in Miami . Included in the line-up is Revved Up a 9-year-old gelding who will be seeking his third straight victory in the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup.

The old man will have to face Soldier’s Dancer, a 3-year-old who won the Tropical Derby last New Year’s and most recently the Calder Derby. Can the old man hold off the young up-start? Check out the tenth race at Calder.