Alpha Meister needs better start to win maiden

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Alpha Meister’s rail draw in Thursday’s third race at Woodbine is far from ideal for the slow breaker, but the talented gelding may have found a field that he can beat in the seven-furlong maiden special for 3-year-olds and up.

Alpha Meister started three times last year at 2 for trainer Mark Casse. After missing the break at first asking Sept. 25, he rallied outside from the rear of the field to finish fifth after getting cut off in deep stretch.

When moving out to 6 1/2 furlongs Nov. 13, Alpha Meister dwelt at the break and finished sixth after a wide trip. He got the winter off after a troubled third behind Mr Speed and the upwardly mobile Stanley House in a six-furlong maiden special Dec. 4.

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Alpha Meister worked nicely from the gate and from the pole prior to his July 21 season opener going six furlongs. Sent off at 5-2, he broke about eight lengths behind the others and then mounted a wide bid before flattening out to fifth.

On Aug. 6, Alpha Meister breezed a flawless half-mile from the gate in 47 seconds, which was the sixth-fastest of 101 works at the distance.

Declan Carroll will ride Alpha Meister again for owner/breeders Manfred and Penny Conrad, who campaigned 2018 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Shamrock Rose with Casse.

Those looking for an alternative to probable favorite Alpha Meister could make a case for his stablemate Chamber Music, The New Maybe, or Coherence.

Chamber Music has been idle since his encouraging second start Nov. 25, during which he set moderate fractions before fading to fourth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special. Over the past five years, Casse had won at a 19 percent clip with six-month-plus comebackers in synthetic sprints at Woodbine, with a return on investment of $1.66.

The New Maybe had worked well prior to his July 21 opener, in which he finished a non-threatening sixth going six furlongs. The son of Shaman Ghost is bred to run on and could show more on the stretch-out. His trainer, Robert Tiller, had a 16 percent strike rate with maiden second-timers during the last five years, with an ROI of $1.56.

Coherence didn’t show much at 2 but has filled out the exacta in 2 of 4 outings this year. Trained by Willy Armata, the son of Sky Mesa got a career-high 70 Beyer Speed Figure most recently when fifth in a fast maiden special route won by King’s Plate prospect Touch’n Ride.

Wet and Wild is debuting for trainer Norm McKnight, who has low recent numbers with unraced horses. The son of 9 percent debut sire Gormely is the first foal from a 2-year-old debut winner going five-eighths on the Tapeta.

Proud Ronin is coming off his best performance, a wide-closing third in a seven-furlong maiden special. The son of Congrats is a candidate for the bottom of vertical wagers.

Post time for the twilight Thursday card is 4:50 p.m. Eastern.

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