By Joe Bianca
With 11 career victories, including nine stakes tallies, and a narrow second in the GI Twinspires Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint to her name, it's hard to believe Lady Shipman (Midshipman) has yet to register a graded stakes triumph. That is the plight of a female turf sprinter, however, as the opportunities just aren't there, so the Ranlo Investments star will once again take on the boys in search of that graded score, this time in the GII Highlander S. going six furlongs on the Woodbine grass.
Running seventh after a poor break in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on the Dubai World Cup card Mar. 26, the chestnut has returned stateside no worse for the wear, easily conquering the License Fee S. May 1 at Belmont and the The Very One S. at Pimlico 20 days later. She comes into this off a trio of four-furlong maintenance breezes, most recently going a half in :48 (4/78) over the Belmont training track June 25. While her class and form advantages are substantial, she will break from a tricky rail draw in a race with ample early foot.
The main danger to the favorite appears to come from John Menary and Gail Cox's Something Extra (Indian Charlie). The eight-year-old gelding suffered a tough beat when finishing second after tracking a fast pace in the GII Shakertown S. Apr. 9 at Keeneland, then faded to seventh in the GIII Turf Sprint S. May 6 at Churchill. Locally based, he annexed this event in 2014 and has an affinity for the Etobicoke lawn, notching three wins in nine starts over it while going 1-for-12 on all other turf courses.
Abdullah Saeed Almaddah's Green Mask (Mizzen Mast) could be rounding back to an effort good enough to win here. Finishing third, a half-length behind Lady Shipman, in the Breeders' Cup, the dark bay began his season with a strong second in the Elusive Quality S. at Belmont before unsuccessfully stretching out when sixth in the two-turn Opening Verse S. at Churchill May 21 in his first start for trainer Brad Cox. Back to sprinting in Belmont's GIII Jaipur Invitational June 11, he checked in seventh, but was only beaten 3 1/4 lengths for the money. He shows a bullet half-mile breeze over the Elmont lawn in :48 1/5 (1/21) in the interim. Passion for Action (Speightstown), second in the GII Connaught Cup here last out, and 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hootenanny (Quality Road), could factor on their best.
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