And I Did tries to regain form in Friday turf feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Is And I Did over the top, or will she get back in the zone if she gets to compete on firm turf in Friday’s Woodbine feature? There’s no rain in the forecast for the entire week, which bodes well for her chances in the seven-furlong Ontario-sired allowance. Perhaps a recent bullet work suggests that she still wants to play.

And I Did graduated in her second time out in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight race on grass June 20. Three weeks later, she rallied wide to miss second by a nose in the seven-furlong Passing Mood Stakes, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

And I Did was bet down to 5-1 against older Ontario-sired opposition in the July 30 Victoriana Stakes. She never challenged over good ground that day, against the likes of stakes winners Strut the Course and Moonlit Beauty. A subsequent race on Polytrack also was subpar.

Jesse Campbell picks up the mount on And I Did, who is trained by Ashlee Brnjas for Colebrook Farms.

Friday’s headliner, which will be run in lane 4, lured 10 other fillies and mares, including main-track-only entrant No Soup for You.

KEY CONTENDERS

And I Did (Last 3 Beyers: 47-30-80)

◗ Her half-mile drill in 47.80 seconds over the training track Sept. 13 was the fastest of 44 works at the distance.

◗ She is nominated to Saturday’s $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes, along with two other Colebrook Farms runners.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Brnjas has a 22 percent strike rate with starters switching from synthetic to turf, with a return on investment of $4.59. She’s 0 for 4 with such runners who cut back from a route to a sprint.

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Virreina (Last 3 Beyers: 54-42-80)

◗ Her Beyers have sputtered since she edged out And I Did for second in the Passing Mood, although she finished a close third in a recent allowance on Polytrack. Her trainer, Phil Gracey, has put up impressive numbers with starters moving from synthetic to turf since the beginning of 2013.

Marathon Run (Last 3 Beyers: 70-58-57)

◗ She faded in the final furlong after setting a strong pace in each of her last three excursions, all going 1 1/16 miles. She’s shedding blinkers for the turnback and seems equally adept on turf and Polytrack.

Ginger Beer (Last 3 Beyers: 62-61-38)

◗ The attractive bay found her calling on grass in August. She beat two next-out winners while graduating in front-running style over seven furlongs under Luis Contreras, who’s sticking with her.