Woodbine: Mr. Prankster taking a drop

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Stakes winner Mr. Prankster is getting some noteworthy class relief in Wednesday night’s first race at Woodbine, a seven-furlong grass sprint for $62,500 claiming 3-year-olds.

Mr. Prankster is based in Kentucky with trainer Mike Maker, who has a win from four starts at the Woodbine meet, which was with the 2-year-old Joha in the Colin Stakes.

Mr. Prankster graduated second time out in September at Hoosier, and went on to run second in a $150,000 stakes at Presque Isle Downs. His initial foray into graded stakes company in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs was forgettable, but he rebounded Jan. 7 with a victory on Polytrack in the $50,000 Turfway Preview Stakes.

Mr. Prankster captured another Turfway stakes convincingly in February, the one-mile WEBN, before going into a slump. Following a freshening, he surprisingly set the pace before weakening to third in the seven-furlong Tiller Stakes on the grass at Belmont.

Mr. Prankster couldn’t keep up with the likes of Silver Max and Cozzetti in the Oliver Stakes at Indiana Downs in June. He has been idle since another distant fifth-place finish, in the July 14 Coach Jimi Lee Stakes at Arlington.

Mr. Prankster should be forwardly placed under jockey Justin Stein.

Trainer Sid Attard entered Jomelo and Tom Joy in the first race.

Jomelo was also a productive 2-year-old. This past June, he won a first-level allowance over seven furlongs on the grass. Just 10 days later, he checked in fourth in the Charlie Barley Stakes.

Following a summer vacation, Jomelo rallied inside from off soft splits to take a $40,000 conditioned claimer going six furlongs on the Polytrack. Seven-eighths on the grass is arguably his preferred trip, and Jesse Campbell will ride him again.

Tom Joy has never competed on the grass. Like Jomelo, he is a son of Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, whose progeny have won at a 16 percent clip on the turf.

It took Tom Joy eight tries to earn his diploma, and he turned the trick against $40,000 maidens June 14. After running third in a regular allowance, Tom Joy found the mark in a B-level allowance for nonwinners of two July 27.

Woodbine’s leading turf rider, Eurico Da Silva, retains the mount on Tom Joy.

Original Cast could show the way after breaking from the rail under speed rider David Garcia. In his first try with Lasix on Aug. 10, he was third in a five-furlong dash at this level.

Completing the field are Hurry Up Alan and The Bear Vow.