By Randy Monk
sports.desk@theindendent.com

The two morning-line favorites in the race come into the battle in entirely different ways.

The Terrell Hemmer-owned and trained Lovesablumin, slotted as the 2-1 morning line favorite, has two impressive stakes tries under her belt at the Fonner meet. The five-year-old Nebraska-bred mare ran a strong second to Here's A Memory in the four furlong Bold Accent Stakes on opening weekend and followed two weeks later by winning the six-furlong Orphan Kist Handicap for Nebraska-bred fillies and mares. Lovesablumin showed speed out of the gate in the Orphan Kist, yet still had plenty in her tank to hold off a late challenge from Plaer's Trump to score the win.

Her main competitor is Salty Attraction, owned by Robert Kirby and trained by nephew Mike Kirby. She will try to win the race off a seven-month layoff. Trainer Kirby has high hopes for his star mare.

"She's training up to the race very well," Kirby said. "She's nice and fresh, you just hope you have them fit enough coming off the layoff."

Salty Attraction finished a strong second in this race last year, stalking a fast pace to finish second to Up 'N Blumin. The six-year-old Salty Attraction used last year's Runza as a springboard to win the six-and-one-half furlong Al Swihart Memorial Stakes a month later by a whopping 10 lengths.

"Six and a half is really her ideal distance," Kirby said. "I wish we had a little more ground here. Both Lovesablumin and Nikki Nine may be hard to catch at six furlongs."

Although this is Salty Attraction's first race of the season, the Kirby barn has been red hot as Kirby has sent nine horses postward and has five winners and a second at the meet.

"We like Fonner," Kirby said. "We race here in the spring, and then go to Minnesota (Canterbury Park) for the Summer."

Salty Attraction, listed at 5-2 on the morning line, will be ridden by Larren Delorme.

Fonner's two leading riders have mounts in the race as Beth Butler rides Lovesablumin and Yuri Yaranga climbs aboard Kim Veerhusen's Nikki Nine.

Not to be overlooked are Rare Crystal and Finding Monaco.

Rare Crystal makes her first start of the season after capping off 2007 with wins in Lincoln and Omaha's Horseman's Park. Veteran rider Mike Ziegler rides for owner /trainer Jim Cranwell.

Finding Monaco, the only filly in the race, won impressively last week in a non-winners of three allowance race. The daughter of Breeder's Cup Sprint Champion Orientate, Finding Monaco defeated a field of eight horses by five lengths in her last race.

Temple Rushton trains Finding Monaco and will give a leg up to regular rider Don Frazier.

The Runza Stakes, the ninth race on the ten race card, goes postward at 4:58 p.m.