Wigmore Hall, Al Khali, Bourbon Bay featured in
Northern Dancer
Although the C$500,000
Northern Dancer Turf S. (Can-G1) lured the smallest field of the three
marquee events at Woodbine on Sunday, the eight-horse cast still features a few
headliners. WIGMORE HALL (Ire) (High Chaparral [Ire]), AL KHALI (Medaglia d’Oro)
and BOURBON BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]) have shipped in for this course-and-distance
prep for the October 16 Canadian International (Can-G1), which could also yield
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) contenders.
English-based globetrotter Wigmore Hall will be tackling 1 1/2 miles for the
first time, but the 9-5 morning-line favorite has the requisite class if at his
best. Runner-up to Paddy O’Prado in last summer’s Secretariat S. (G1) in his
first foreign venture, the Michael Bell trainee had a productive March in Dubai.
He was up in time in the March 3 Jebel Hatta (UAE-G2) and a closing third in the
March 26 Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1), but didn’t carry that form forward in two
tries in the Far East.
Wigmore Hall ran closer to form in his return visit to Chicago for the August
13 Arlington Million (G1). Despite a less than helpful trip, the bay gelding
rallied for fourth, beaten less than a length by Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) for
second. Regular pilot Jamie Spencer, who was not aboard at Arlington, will work
to engineer a smoother passage.
Grade 2 winner Al Khali has the dubious distinction of being remembered for
his troubled trips. Most notably, he was victimized in last fall’s Canadian
International, where he recovered belatedly for a close fourth. The Bill Mott
charge relived bad memories last time out in the August 13 Sword Dancer
Invitational (G1). Steadying off heels not once but twice, Al Khali wound up
third. The victorious Winchester (Theatrical [Ire]), who cut across Al Khali in
the stretch, survived an objection to keep the spoils. Alan Garcia aims to keep
Al Khali, the 4-1 third choice, in the clear from the outside post 8.
California shipper BOURBON BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]) has been pegged as the
second choice at 5-2 on the morning line. The Neil Drysdale pupil has not had as
much success on turf this season as he did a year ago, when he scored an
historic sweep of the San Obispo H. (G2), San Luis Rey S. (G2) and San Juan
Capistrano Invitational (G2).
Since his victory in the January 17 San Marcos S. (G2), Bourbon Bay has
dropped his last five on turf. The lightly-made gelding exits a narrow loss in
the August 28 Del Mar H. (G2), where he just failed to spot seven pounds to
Celtic New Year (North Light [Ire]). His only win during that span came in the
July 29 Cougar II H. (G3) on Del Mar’s Polytrack, setting a new track record for
1 1/2 miles. A return to his preferred distance could help Bourbon Bay, the co-highweight
at 123 pounds with Wigmore Hall. Joe Talamo will be back in the saddle.
The remainder of the field is locally-based. SEASIDE RETREAT (King Cugat) is
rounding into form in his third start off a nearly three-year absence. One of
the leading Canadian turf performers of 2008, he rolled to a course
record-setting score in the Nijinsky S. (Can-G2) and held the lead in midstretch
of the Northern Dancer, only to go down fighting to Champs Elysees (GB) and
Quijano (Ger).
The Mark Casse veteran was seventh in his July 23 comeback, and improved to
finish a highly encouraging runner-up on August 20. The winner of that optional
claimer, Woodbourne (Langfuhr), is entered in the Woodbine Mile.
Casse’s HAILSTONE (City Zip), a half-brother to defending Woodbine Mile
champion Court Vision (Gulch), has been knocking on the proverbial door all
summer. Third in the July 24 Nijinsky and August 21 Sky Classic in his last
pair, he tries to stretch his pedigree to the maximum in his 1 1/2-mile debut.
Hailstone gets a rider switch to Julien Leparoux to assist.
SIMMARD (Dixieland Band), a close third to Al Khali a year ago in the Bowling
Green H. (G2), hasn’t come as close in his subsequent stakes attempts. The Roger
Attfield charge has recently settled for fourth in both the June 26 Singspiel S.
(Can-G3) and the August 5 John’s Call S.
HOTEP (A.P. Indy), a two-time stakes winner on Polytrack and second in last
year’s Queen’s Plate S., has switched to turf as a four-year-old. While his
barnstorming second in the August 13 With Approval S. for Ontario-breds was a
useful effort, the royally-bred Sam-Son Farms colt takes a steep hike in both
class and distance here. LAUREATE CONDUCTOR (Bernstein), claimed for $62,500 in
June and fourth to Woodbourne and Seaside Retreat last out, looks out of his
depth.
Fittingly, all eight entrants descend from the race’s namesake, the 1964
Kentucky Derby, Preakness S. and Queen’s Plate hero, U.S. and Canadian Hall of
Famer, and global, breed-shaping sire.