Best Bet – (5) FORESTER'S FORTUNE – Race 6
Spot Play – (4) BREATHLESSNTHESAND – Race 11
Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 4-7) : 5, 6 / 2, 4, 7. 8 / 5 / 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 = $8.00
Late Pick 4 (.20 cents, Races 8-11): 1 / 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 / 1, 3, 6 / 4, 5, 8, 10 = $14.40
Race 1 – (8) SCREEN DIVA has been 2
nd and 3
rd in her last two outings on the grass and will be favoured again to get her first career victory against a modest field. (4) NATURAL HABITAT will have blinkers on for the first time and she races for a new owner and trainer on a course that she enjoys. (2) DELIGHTFUL DREAMER was my pick last time but she was sluggish and she gets a class drop. (1) JOY'S SOLUTION was competitive against better maidens a year ago and she comes off a short layoff and good workout times.
Race 2- There are just two turf winners in this sprint for fillies, non-winners of 2 and (8) TOO MANY MOUNTANS drops a class level after a couple of fringe performances since her maiden win at this distance on turf. (2) CEFALO just won her maiden in her grass debut and was claimed by Santino DiPaola who has her nicely spotted. (1) ARAMON is bred for turf but won her maiden last time on the main track with blinkers added. She gives turf another try. (7) PURPLE SCOOTER is the pace runner and she gets blinkers after a near miss in her turf debut.
Race 3- (6) PRESSURE FRONT switches from turf to Tapeta and lands at the lowest level for maidens. She has hit the edges a few times in her six career races and may be able to get over the hump. (2) LAURENDALE has not raced for four years and is an 8-year-old maiden who came close to winning in a comeback race in May 2016. She shows good workout times. (3) RING IN SILENCE has been favoured for her last a pair and was a distant 2
nd in her latest. (8) KATZ YOU LATER ran well off the long layoff when ending up behind Ring in Silence and she will have blinkers off which could allow her to settle a bit early.
Race 4- The Pick 4 wager starts here and this is a paceless race on the main turf for $25,000 claiming guys. (5) LORD WIMBORNE could be close to the early pace since his latest had a fierce pace set by the eventual winner. (6) COMIC KITTEN will get his blinkers back and he has shown speed on the grass in the past and a slight class drop helps his cause too. (2) KING CAUSEWAY comes off a win on the main track but he has done okay in her grass attempts. (3) NESTLETON HUSH rarely runs a bad one but needs some pace up front for his stretch rally.
Race 5 – (4) EXCELLORATOR has experience and his second career race was another sharp effort for this Maryland bred 2-year-old. His competition includes many beginners including (2) HELIUM, who is bred for long races on grass but his workouts in company have yielded good clockings. (8) MANOFMYSTATURE was bought from a 2-year-old sale in July and he had a quick workout for that sale and he has progressed nicely in recent months. (7) LENNY K is another beginner from the powerful Kevin Attard barn and he has had a litany of good workout times at 5 furlongs.
Race 6 – There is a lot of early speed in this turf sprint and that should help (5) FORESTER'S FORTUNE pounce on these. He was a close second in his only try on the turf and that was in a stakes race. (2 SYCAMORE RUN is the fastest guy in the field and he had an exciting beginning to his career in New Orleans in the winter. He finds his way back to his home province. (9) LEAD DIRECTOR has a bit of grass breeding but more importantly he turns back from a route distance and he can sit a good trip behind the speed. (7) PRINCE OF THIEVES will be coming from well off the pace and he missed by a nose in his latest turf dash.
Race 7 – This is the $100,000 Victorian Queen Stakes for juvenile fillies around 2 turns on the inner turf and there are many possibilities such as the maiden (5) IL MALOCCHIO, who had a super run in her grass debut when chasing a front runner who had a nice trip on the pace. (1) SUNSPRITE was my pick first time out and she won at 6 to 1in fast time. She is bred for grass but must hold her speed around 2 turns at 7 1/2 furlongs. (3) SILENT BUT VIOLENT had an awkward journey on the main turf last time when just missing 2
nd place to the top pick. She is dangerous. (4) HATMAKER HOLIDAY is bred for long races and for grass and she has Patrick Husbands riding and he had other options.
Race 8 – Graded stakes winner (1) SILENT POET drops into an allowance race after about 5 weeks away and he had a fast workout recently. (4) LOOKIN TO STRIKE had a successful return to Woodbine off the layoff recently and he moves to turf which he handles okay. (2) ESKIMINZIN was not all that far behind the mighty Pink Lloyd last time and he won the last time he sprinted on grass. (6) REAL MONEY is very fast and loves a grass sprint although 6 1//2 furlongs is stretching it a bit for him.
Race 9 – The $100,000 Bull Page Stakes is for Ontario sired 2-year-old males around 2 turns on the inner turf and the handsome (4) ALL CANADIAN has had two troubled trips ssince his nice debut win. He is byu a sire who loved grass and this colt is from a top stakes stake, Gail Cox. (7) DRAGON'S BREW looks to remain undefeated after winning the Simcoe Stakes in his second start and he has been winning with ease. He has modest grass breeding. (2) EXCEED comes out of an open stakes race on turf and the winner came back to win the Grade 1 Summer Stakes. (1) DE ONLY SOLUTION was this corner's pick first time out and he won by almost 8 lengths. He is closely related to Horse of the Year Lexie Lou.
Race 10 – (1) DREAM MAKER is a Tapit colt who has shown brilliance at times and as he gets back to the main track for what could be a peak, 3
rd race off the layoff, he is worth consideration for the win. His stablemate (6) REVVED UP ran well off a one-year layoff last time and remains offered for the claiming price. (30 TIMESKIP is an honest fellow who was a couple of lengths behind Revved Up last time. (4) MAGIC TAPIT still must prove he can win at a route distance bit he shortens up a bit from 10 furlongs on turf and he could be the lone speed.
Race 11 – (4) BREATHLESSNTHESAND is by a sire who won the Breeders' Stakes on turf and this 2-year-old is learning. Today he will have blinkers on for his grass debut. (5) QUANTUM VELOCITY is a first time starter buy a Grade 1 winning grass horse and this guy has shrewd ownership in the form of Colby Casse. (10) GALVASTAON is speedy and has some grass breeding. He has been 2
nd in all 3 of his career races and adds Lasix. (89) GIANT WATERS goes for a good barn, that of dan Vella, and his career debut started a bit rocky but he closed well for second.
Photo by Mr. Will Wong
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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 Toronto Star and is the simulcast handicapper for Ajax Downs.
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