ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Air Combat enters Monday’s Woodbine headliner in good form and should be dangerous in the first-level allowance that carries a $32,000 claiming option. Air Combat was a $16,000 claim by owner Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Norm McKnight from trainer Steve Asmussen on April 4 at Oaklawn. He romped that day while putting up an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, but his next two races against tougher were dismal. Air Combat dropped to $25,000 claiming in his second local outing and prevailed by two lengths while showing that having a race over the Tapeta was to his benefit. He tried the second leg of the Woodbine Turf Sprint Series most recently and finished a respectable fourth while earning his second straight 82 Beyer. Leo Salles has the mount on the stretch-runner from the outside post 7. The meet’s second-leading trainer, Marty Drexler, sends out Pine Knoll and Giant Teddy in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint. Pine Knoll was claimed by TEC racing for $25,000 when fourth in an allowance/optional claimer at Turfway in March. The durable 7-year-old wasn’t a factor in his local debut, an allowance on inner turf, but he popped when dropping to $25,000 most recently, scoring in front-running fashion on the Tapeta with an 86 Beyer. Giant Teddy, who did the bulk of his damage while racing on the lead in the past, has evolved into a pace stalker. He never fired last out during a wide trip in a turf experiment, after running third in back-to-back Tapeta sprints. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Reload’s Rebel is picking up hot apprentice Pietro Moran, who swept the early pick three on Friday. Even though he’s moving up in class from conditioned company, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Reload’s Rebel make his presence felt. Reload’s Rebel has started three times at the meet for trainer Darwin Banach. He rallied for second in a hybrid event for nonwinners-of-three Ontario-sired allowance and $40,000 claimers in his June 16 season opener. He ran second again in a longer sprint a month later, but was softened up in a speed duel most recently when a well-beaten fourth. Aim for the Sky had a banner 2023 campaign, during which he won 4 of 11 races under the tutelage of trainer Steve Chircop. The 7-year-old began this meet on a positive note on the Tapeta before tailing off in his last few on the turf. The move back to the main track might enable him to get back on track. Puddingontheritz beat three next-out winners when winning his last outing against $25,000 nonwinners-of-three claimers after a lovely stalking trip, for which he got an 81 Beyer. Rounding out the field is Society’s Thunder, who defeated Ontario-sired allowance types in back-to-back starts before disappointing in his debut at this level. Post time for the nine-race Labor Day holiday card is 1:05 p.m. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.