Arabian Prince gets another shot at first-level allowance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With just one win in 34 starts, 6-year-old Arabian Prince has spent most of his career trying to clear the first allowance condition. Can he finally turn the trick in Sunday’s Woodbine feature, a nonwinners-of-two Tapeta sprint over 6 1/2 furlongs with a $50,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds?

Arabian Prince notched his debut at 2 at Churchill Downs and probably gave his connections premature Derby Fever when he ran third two starts later in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. His career flamed out, however, and he was claimed twice for $30,000 at Fair Grounds during the winter of 2022-23.

Arabian Prince returned from a long layoff last summer at Ellis Park, where he finished third and second in a pair of allowance sprints on turf. He was subsequently sent here to trainer Patrick Dixon and just missed in his local debut in a 6 1/2-furlong main turf sprint.

When moving out to a one-turn mile Oct. 6, Arabian Prince flattened out to third after making a bid for the lead in the stretch. He tried sprinting on the Tapeta in his last two outings and filled out the exacta both times under Rafael Hernandez, who retains the mount Sunday.

Western Whirl should be dangerous as the lone speed in the seven-horse field. Trained by Stuart Simon for Chiefswood Stables, the 3-year-old was stakes-placed at 2 in the Display after finishing a distant sixth in the Grade 1 Summer.

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Western Whirl made the board in back-to-back races at this level in the summer before coming up empty over yielding turf in the one-mile Toronto Cup Stakes. He led until late stretch when second two starts back, but finished a tired fifth most recently after getting outrun for the lead by Victory Achieved, who returned to capture a conditioned allowance/optional claimer.

American Decision should be a late threat. He was claimed for $40,000 in fall 2023 by trainer Sid Attard and finally earned his diploma in a July 28 maiden special on the grass. When turning back off a double-digit loss last out, he rallied for third in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance while earning a career high 76 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fairway to Heaven and Roar of the Crowd finished fourth and fifth, respectively, behind the classy Babbo, Arabian Prince, and Warhol on Nov. 15.

Fairway to Heaven tailed off after getting claimed for $40,000 by trainer Abraham Katryan in June, but has improved since beating $15,000 nonwinners-of-two claimers on Sept. 22. The 3-year-old was promoted from second to first by disqualification when facing nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired allowance and $40,000 opposition on Oct. 13.

Roar of the Crowd, who trailed in 12th in the Aug. 23 King’s Plate, was a wake-up second in a five-furlong inner turf dash at this level Oct. 13, which was won by Roi Soleil.

Roi Soleil is dropping off a wide 10th in a tough conditioned allowance/optional claimer and can rally for a share.

Completing the field is Proctor Phantom, who’s making his second start following a sabbatical.

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