Best Bet – (6) DOUBLE SAW – Race 6
Spot Play – (1) WALIYAK – Race 8
Today's play: LATE Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 8-11 ) : 1, 2, 4, 6 / 8 / 1, 5, 9, 10 / 1, 4, 8, 11, 12 = $16.00
*Selections done for turf
Race 1 — (4) DOMINANT FACTOR closed some ground to be second in a race like this two starts ago and he should be all set to win his maiden. (5) CORRELATE drops to a new low class level and will race on the Tapeta for only the second time in his career. He was fourth in a big field on turf in his latest. (7) SILENT FIRE ran a nice race in his 3-year-old debut but has not been close to that form since then and he plunges in class. (2) WHIZMO may have a chance to go a long way if he uses his speed to get to the front out of the gate.
Race 2 — This is race is scheduled for one mile on the E P Taylor turf course but lots of rain in the area on Saturday may force it to the Tapeta. (9) COLEYVILLE is a main track only entrant and would look solid if he gets a chance to race for $37,500 claiming on the Tapeta. (3) GIGANTIC BREEZE is not a grass horse so he wants this race to come off turf. If the race is on turf, (2) HONEY WON'T is coming back 10 days after a big win in a sprint and he is okay at one mile. (8) VANBRUGH is the wild card. He has not been seen in a year, when he was in the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes. He tends to do his best in shorter grass races.
Race 3 — (6) LIGHT THE LAMP is a first time starter by the good 2-year-old sire Reload and he has six winning siblings including fast ones like Old Valyria and Katalox. (2) COO BIRD was my best bet Oct. 2 when he dropped in class, but he had a miscue at the start and came from 12
th to be fifth.
(7) LUCYS CHILD is by an above average debut sire, Silent Name, and this is the second foal of a hard knocking mare who won six of 25 races, five of those on turf. (9) SOUPER RUSH has been working in fast times for a successful debut trainer.
Race 4 — (5) VELOCE drops in class and has been picking up shares on turf. This race is scheduled for the inner turf but since his two career wins came on the Tapeta, he is hoping the race comes off the grass. (8) SOUPER COHIBA wants this race to come off turf also, as he has two wins in four starts on all weather surfaces. (7) MAXIMUM MOMENTUS flew to a big win against much easier last time and it was his first win on the Tapeta. He earned a hefty 79 Beyer Figure and was claimed that day by Alex McPherson. (1) SELFMADE was a nice winner on the Tapeta two starts ago for high percentage trainer Zeljko Krcmar.
Race 5 — 'Tis the season for some (1) SPOOKY SPICE and she exits a very good maiden sprint race as the top two from that race finished 2-1 in a stakes race next time out. She stretches out in distance and has some grass breeding but would look even better if the race moved to Tapeta. (8) HALLANVAARA gets Lasix and she had trouble in her latest but ran well in her debut on the turf. She is worth on look on either surface. (6) MENAGERIE had a very professional debut as she made her way from well back in the field to be second. She has some stamina in her breeding. (4) SISTER SEAGULL gets blinkers and more distance, and she was outrun in the sprint first time out but that early pace was so fast. She can improve and may like turf too.
Race 6 — (6) DOUBLE SAW was in a key race first time out in his career and rallied to be fourth. He tried grass last time and now gets back to the main track with a class drop. (12) TARA TATTOO had the rail in a big field last time and some trouble in spots. He has the widest post for his third attempt. (9) DOWNTOWN CRUMLIN is a full brother to this year's fast stakes winner Forest Survivor and he could make noise in this debut. (4) YANKEE JOE will bring early speed to this 2-year-old race with his blinkers on.
Race 7 — (9) SWEET SERENADE closed fast to win her maiden on the inner turf last time for Roger Attfield. She has speed to run at and if the race comes off grass she should handle the main track. (2) ADMIRING parlayed a second place finish to the top pick into her own maiden win last time, an 8-1/2 length romp with an inflated 91 Beyer Figure. (1) ANTIGONE almost beat the boys in her latest on Tapeta and she has been so good this year at Woodbine on any surface. (7) NOVEMBER FOG has been in good form on turf and Tapeta, and her trainer won a race on Friday.
Race 8 — The $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares will be held on a turf course that will be less than firm. This is an evenly matched field but (1) WALIYAK, in from France, looks very appealing. She comes off a Group 3 win and in a previous race was second to eventual Group 1 winner Saffraon Beach. Trainer Roger Varian won the Taylor in 2018 with Sheika Reika. (2) ETOILE won the Taylor last year over an easier field. She has been carefully pointed to this race by trainer Chad Brown. (4) KALIFORNIA QUEEN, another from the Chad Brown barn, is back on Lasix and she is an improving gal who has a good record at 1-1/4 miles. (6) MUTAMAKINA won the Dance Smartly Stakes here over Etoile.
Race 9 — The exciting (8) ARTIE is back in two weeks off his second stunning win to stay unbeaten. He earned a 97 Beyer Figure for his main track win last time, and while he meets tougher he looks to be any kind of runner. (6) LENNY K came to life after his maiden win as he won his next start with a 91 Beyer. Toss his latest in the longer Toronto Cup on turf. (1) CLAYTON is back from a one year absence and returns as a gelding, He won the Plate Trial last year and ran well in the Plate and Prince of Wales. (2) LOOKIN TO STRIKE was third to Pink Lloyd in the Grade 3 Bold Venture last time and he enjoys sprinting.
Race 10 — The $250,000 Nearctic Stakes is at six furlongs and the turf is likely to be on the yielding side. There is not a lot of pace in this race so Woodbine Mile hero (9) TOWN CRUISE might be able to come back and beat the speedsters. (1) ADMIRALTY PIER handles off turf and he was a closing second in the Grade 1 Highlander Stakes. (5) AVIES FLATTER is so good in short races on any surface and he is one to respect. (10) JOLIE OLIMPICA has been freshened since her King Edward Stakes flop but she sprints well.
Race 11 — (4) MUCHACHA gets a class plunge and she gets back to Tapeta, and she is one of several to consider in this finale. (11) PENETANGUISHENE returns to sprinting and that will be more comfortable for this speedy mare. (12) WIDE AWAKE has a wide post, but she is consistently good and handles the main track well. (1) LATER GATOR makes her third start off the layoff for a trainer who sent out a winner on Friday, and she could have a peak effort. (8) LETS HAVE FUN was in good form before a recent turf outing that came on softish turf.
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Jennifer Morrison has been a public handicapper for the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and Daily Racing Form. She is currently a writer for CanadianThoroughbred.com, Blood-Horse and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
Photo by John Watkins
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