Apprentice jockeys get plenty of opportunities on Thursday card

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There are numerous apprentices currently learning their trade at Woodbine, including the runaway leader among them, Sofia Vives, who has mounts in the first seven events on Thursday’s eight-race card.

Vives rides Lake Shore Drive in the opener, a $7,500 sprint for nonwinners of two. Trained by Norm McKnight, Lake Shore Drive missed all of 2022 and has been slow to come around this year. In his improved last race, he benefited from a speed bias when a chalky second in his second try at the bottom level.

In the second race, for $10,000 maidens going long, Vives rides Spanish Serenade, who was overmatched versus Ontario-sired/$40,000 maidens last out and is dropping back down to an appropriate level. Apprentice Amanda Vandermeersch retains the mount on the in-form front-runner Sunyani, who is switching from turf to the Tapeta.

Vives prefers the front end and should have Golden Spring vying for the lead in the third, a $25,000 maiden dash for 2-year-olds. Dixieribsy, under Fraser Aebly, a new bug on the scene with 55 wins at Hastings and Assiniboia, also has speed. She could go with Golden Spring early while setting the table for the dropping Get My Drift.

Vives goes for three in a row on Desolator in the fourth, a two-turn starter/optional claimer on the inner turf. With the rail out in lane 4, Desolator breaks from the outside post 10 and figures to have a wide journey. Derzkii could rebound off a pace-pressing fourth against easier, perhaps at a square price. Jack the Cat, under apprentice Desean Bynoe, has been in solid form since getting claimed for $4,000 at Fort Erie in September and could join the fray.

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Aebly and Vives meet again in the fifth, a $7,500 conditioned sprint. Aebly rides the improving Wake Up Maggie, who’s winless in her last 19 starts. Vives takes over on the class-plunging Fantail, who was a wide sixth against $25,000 conditioned rivals last out in her local debut June 24. Spanish Beauty is the one to catch, and Very Savvy is coming down in class with blinkers off.

Vandermeersch has a live mount in the sixth on Swirling Dancer in the $25,000 nonwinners-of-three sprint. She beat two next-out winners when third while dropping to this class on Aug. 5. Vives replaces Vandermeersch on Big Ginger, and she piloted the mare in a victory over $25,000 nonwinners-of-two opponents in July.

Vives figures to put Cerebro on the point in the seventh, another $25,000 conditioned sprint. Cerebro has been knocking on the door against nonwinners-of-three company and could shake loose up front. The logical contenders are Threefiftyseven and Determined Fury. First-time gelding Giant Teddy is tagged for the first time off a 10-month absence for superb layoff trainer Julia Carey.

Bynoe rides the live longshot Gentle Seas in the nightcap, a $7,500 maiden sprint. Gentle Seas came wide from seventh to finish fifth over a speed-favoring track last time out for $10,000. Ten-pound bug Cheyenne Kerr takes over on the reluctant Fedaline, who lost back-to-back starts by a head late in the summer before another second for $10,000 most recently.

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