Stormy Lord heads Highlander; Musketier seeks second Singspiel score

While the Queen's Plate is the top draw on Woodbine's Sunday program,

a pair of competitive grass races should get the stakes action off to a

good start. A field of 10 sprinters has been entered in the C$200,000

Highlander S. (Can-G2) while the C$150,000

Singspiel S. (Can-G3) drew seven to last 1 1/2 miles.

STORMY LORD (Stormy Atlantic) is the horse to beat in the Highlander

off a front-running, three-length victory in the Connaught Cup (Can-G2)

last out, but the Ian Black trainee won't have an easy time of it.

Runner-up in the Breeders' S. last season, the chestnut gelding also

captured the Toronto Cup last July while stretching out to nine

furlongs. James McAleney has been aboard the four-year-old for much of

his career and has the call on Sunday.

Silver Timber was last seen visiting the winner's circle in the Woodford S.

(G3) at Keeneland in October. The Chad Brown charge has been unplaced in three

starts since then, though, including a sixth while going for back-to-back

victories in the Shakertown S. (G3) last out. The gray gelding's last try at six

furlongs came when he captured the 2009 Jaipur S. (G3) at Belmont Park. Robby

Albarado will pilot the eight-year-old.

Fellow veteran Heros Reward is also seeking a return to his conquering ways,

except the nine-year-old's winless streak extends all the way back to 2009. That

last victory came in the Mister Diz S. at Laurel Park, but the Dale

Capuano-conditioned gelding has managed to stay active in the interim. He just

missed by a neck in last year's Highlander and then fell short by a head in an

allowance last out at Parx Racing to next-out Parx Dash H. victor El Churruca

(Monsieur Cat). Sheldon Russell has been aboard for his past two starts and

retains the mount on Heros Reward for the Highlander.

While not making their turf debuts in the Highlander, Paso Doble and Essence

Hit Man both have much more experience running on the main track. Paso Doble,

last seen taking the New Providence S., finished second by a neck in his last

turf try. Essence Hit Man ran seventh in his only try on the grass, but set the

pace in the seven-furlong Vigil before being caught and running second most

recently. Two back the chestnut gelding captured the Jacques Cartier S.

Also entered are last year's Transylvania S. (G3) hero NORDIC TRUCE

(Yes It's True) and Canadian Grade 2 winner JUNGLE WAVE (Hold That

Tiger), third in the 2010 Highlander.

Musketier will face off against Elkhorn third-placer WINDWARD ISLANDS

(Cozzene) in the Singspiel, as well as Canadian Grade 1 victor RAHY'S ATTORNEY

(Crown Attorney).

Windward Islands raced just three times last year, but made every start count

with a win in the Nijinsky S. (Can-G2), a second in the Sky Classic S. (Can-G2)

and a third in the Northern Dancer Turf S. (Can-G1). The Mark Frostad trainee

looked to continue in that vein this season when placing in the Elkhorn, but was

no factor in the Manhattan H. (G1) most recently, running seventh. Chantal

Sutherland, aboard for his Nijinsky score, has the call.