Woodbine will host four stakes on Sunday’s Queen’s Plate undercard,
highlighted by a pair of Grade 2 events worth C$200,000 apiece — the
Highlander for turf sprinters and the
Dance Smartly for turf distaffers. Each features a Fair Hill shipper who
returns to the Toronto, Ontario, course for the first time since scoring a
landmark victory there. Next Question, winner of the Nearctic here in October,
invades again for the Highlander over the same six-furlong trip, while Hard Not
to Like, who crushed males in the 2011 Cup and Saucer as a juvenile, comes in
for the Dance Smartly.
Next Question sprang a 16-1 upset in the Nearctic, showing a combination of
early speed and tenacity to prevail in his stakes debut. But the Mike Trombetta
charge hasn’t had any luck in the interim. Seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf
Sprint, he reappeared with a close fifth in a blanket finish to the Shakertown
at Keeneland, and tired to third in the Around the Cape at Belmont. Next
Question sportingly stayed in the June 7 Jaipur when it was rained off the turf,
but retreated to last in the Belmont slop, and hopes to bounce back on turf in
this spot. The 126-pound highweight will break from the far outside post 13 with
new rider Shaun Bridgmohan.
Two Highlander of his rivals have crossed paths with Next Question this
season. Something Extra, who missed by a nostril in the Shakertown, most
recently wired the May 26 Connaught Cup at Woodbine for the second straight
year. Night Officer, who beat Next Question in the Around the Cape, exits a
third in Monmouth’s John McSorley.
Reade Baker is responsible for four Highlander entrants: the up-and-coming Go
Blue or Go Home, who is unbeaten in turf sprints and just scored impressively in
the Karl Boyes Memorial over the Presque Isle Tapeta; Bear Tough Tiger, notably
third in the Nearctic; Bear No Joke; and former Canadian Horse of the Year Fatal
Bullet, who comes off a course-and-distance allowance win.
Big Band Sound should move forward off his comeback fifth to Fatal Bullet in
that local prep. He warrants respect as the hero of last summer’s Play the King
and the fourth-place finisher in the Nearctic. Also in the mix are divisional
mainstay Super Chunky and a pair of intriguing turf debutants — Rothko, who has
plenty of back class on dirt for Steve Asmussen, and the three-year-old Dan the
Tin Man, winner of the Woodstock and Tom Ridge on synthetic surfaces this
season.
Hard Not to Like, once a 2012 Queen’s Plate hopeful, faces a similarly
competitive group in the Dance Smartly at 1 1/8 grassy miles. Formerly based at
Woodbine when trained by Gail Cox, the Hard Spun filly boasts a three-for-four
mark on this turf course. Hard Not to Like kicked off her sophomore campaign
with a solid second in the Ashland over Keeneland’s Polytrack, but threw in an
uncharacteristically dull effort in the Kentucky Oaks. Unfortunately, she was
discovered to have a chipped knee that required surgery, and ended her Canadian
classic ambitions.
Transferred to Michael Matz, Hard Not to Like made a winning return from her
eight-month layoff in the Marshua’s River at Gulfstream Park. Although the gray
was unplaced in her subsequent two outings in the Suwannee River and Jenny
Wiley, she put forth a much improved effort when runner-up in the May 18
Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico. She keeps Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the
saddle here.
Also venturing in from Fair Hill is the Graham Motion-trained Julie’s Love,
who captured the Owsley at Belmont two back and exits a fourth in the soggy
Sheepshead Bay.
The local team is spearheaded by the top three finishers from the May 25
Nassau — the progressive Solid Appeal, dual Sovereign Award winner Irish
Mission and Northern Passion, who has since come back to take the Zadracarta.
Irish Mission, last year’s Canadian champion three-year-old filly and turf
female, has run well in defeat in all three starts in 2013, and the Mark Frostad
pupil is due to get her head back in front.
Others to note are Moment of Majesty, second to the high-class Marketing Mix
in this race a year ago; No Explaining, the 2011 Gallorette winner who will be
making just her second start off a nearly two-year layoff for dual Hall of Famer
Roger Attfield; and the three-year-old Coffee Clique, who easily beat Queen’s
Plate threat Nipissing in the May 19 Selene on Polytrack. Coffee Clique has a
tough task at the weights, though, with a 120-pound assignment versus older
horses.
Also on the Queen’s Plate program, the Grade 3, C$150,000
Singspiel has attracted a field of 10 turf marathoners. Aldous Snow was a
terrific second to Irish Mission in last summer’s Breeders’ Stakes here, his
only previous attempt at this 1 1/2-mile trip. The Malcolm Pierce charge has
been rounding into form in allowance company in 2013, and could be poised to
peak in his third start off the bench.
Attfield sends out a pair at seemingly opposite points on the career path,
veteran Forte dei Marmi and the fresh-faced Perfect Timber. Forte dei Marmi,
third in both the Canadian International and Northern Dancer Turf at this course
and distance last fall, has yet to run anywhere near up to that level in his
last four appearances. Perfect Timber, who started the year as an unraced
four-year-old, brings a two-for-three record into his first stakes tilt.
Mark Casse has a vaguely similar duo in the eight-year-old Pool Play and the
four-year-old Patrioticandproud. Pool Play, the 2011 Stephen Foster winner, was
a non-threatening fifth when trying to regain his title on the Churchill Downs
dirt. Patrioticandproud landed the 2012 Toronto Cup the last time he raced on
turf, but takes a giant step up in trip.
Heathcote’s stamina is well proven, thanks to his front-running, 12
1/4-length conquest of the Valedictory on the Woodbine Polytrack. Less certain
is his turf aptitude, in light of his sixth in the May 25 Louisville Handicap in
his only race on the surface. That was his first start since the Valedictory,
however, and he’s entitled to do better second time out for Paul Attard.
Fifty Proof’s best days might have come and gone. The 2011 Canadian champion
older male has yet to hit the board this season.
The stakes action begins with the C$150,000
Clarendon, a 5 1/2-furlong Polytrack dash for two-year-olds. Sharp debut
maiden winner Go Greeley will meet second-out winner Grom; Spin the King, a fine
second to Grom in his premiere who now adds Lasix; Victoria Stakes third Bold ‘n
Golden; and first-timers Mega Length, Maritime Pulpit and Truly Bettor.
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