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Winning Cause bids to stay perfect on Polytrack in Marine
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| Winning Cause extended his Polytrack mark to three-for-three in the Lexington
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Winning Cause had enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby after capturing
the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, but connections instead opted to keep him on
the Polytrack that suits him so well. The Todd Pletcher trainee will accordingly
line up in the next logical spot for a sophomore of his profile -- Sunday's
C$150,000
Marine Stakes at Woodbine.The well-bred son of Giant's Causeway brings a perfect three-for-three mark
on Polytrack, all at Keeneland. He has yet to win on any other surface, with his
best result from four other starts being a runner-up effort in the January 21
Jimmy Winkfield over Aqueduct's inner dirt. Winning Cause has since won two
straight at Keeneland's spring meet, taking an April 6 allowance before wheeling
back successfully in the April 20 Lexington at this same 1 1/16-mile trip.
Julien Leparoux will stay aboard in search of the hat trick.
His most dangerous opponent is Up with the Birds, who was also last seen at
Keeneland, just missing in the April 5 Transylvania on turf. The Sam-Son Farms
homebred sports a two-for-three record on the Woodbine Polytrack. A 3 1/2-length
maiden winner in September, he similarly dominated the November 10 Coronation
Futurity in his juvenile finale. Up with the Birds wintered at Fair Grounds,
where the Malcolm Pierce pupil rallied in time to take the March 2 Black Gold in
his prep for the Transylvania.
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Ghost Hunter, runner-up to Winning Cause in that Keeneland allowance two
back, was most recently a close third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Derby
Day. The Ghostzapper colt was edged by the well-regarded Bellarmine and Code
West, who has since come back to win impressively at Pimlico and is on course
for the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Ghost Hunter was subsequently transferred from
Kim Chapman to David Cotey, and he will make his debut for the barn here.
Five Iron has twice finished second in local stakes. Best of the rest behind
eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured in last September's Swynford, the
Brian Lynch colt was a closing runner-up in the April 21 Woodstock last time
out. The form was boosted when Woodstock winner Dan the Tin Man came back to
score in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle, but Five Iron has a bit to prove at this
longer trip. Completing the short field are recent allowance winner Drenched and
Ontario-bred maiden scorer Silent Admirer.
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| Canadian turf champ Riding the River, shown edging Hotep in the
2012 Nijinsky, will meet him again in the Connaught Cup
(WEG/Michael Burns Photography) |
Later on Sunday, Canadian champion turf male Riding the River returns to
action in the Grade 2, C$200,000
Connaught Cup. Only fourth in last year's running of this seven-furlong turf
test, the Cotey charge went on to garner the King Edward and Nijinsky. Riding
the River concluded his Sovereign-worthy season with a fourth in the September
16 Woodbine Mile to a trio of top-rated horses -- U.S. Horse of the Year Wise
Dan, Canadian champion older male Hunters Bay and U.A.E./Irish highweight
Cityscape.Reigning Connaught Cup winner Something Extra is back to defend his title,
and figures to enjoy the step up in trip from his recent turf dashes. In the
five-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, he rallied for second to Varsity, and
in the 5 1/2-furlong Shakertown at Keeneland last out, he missed by a whisker to
Havelock.
Michelle Nihei dispatches two from Saratoga -- Grade 3 hero Upgrade and
Artest, winner of a turf sprint stakes at the Spa last summer. Others to note
are the Reade Baker duo of Bear Tough Tiger and Bear No Joke; Lockout from the
Mark Casse barn; stakes veterans Hotep and Artic Fern; and unbeaten Valentino
Beauty, who tries stakes company for the first time.
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