Arabian Prince will try Tapeta with turf racing coming to a close

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With grass racing winding down at the Woodbine meet, turf expert Arabian Prince experiments on the Tapeta in Thursday’s Woodbine feature, an allowance sprint for nonwinners of two with a $50,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds and up.

Like most of the others in the seven-horse field, Arabian Prince has been win-shy. The 6-year-old has accumulated 14 seconds and thirds from 32 starts, with his lone win coming against maiden special rivals early in his career on the dirt at Churchill.

Arabian Prince placed in both of his starts while sprinting in allowance company at Ellis Park during the summer. He changed trainers to Patrick Dixon before a narrow loss over 6 1/2 furlongs here Sept. 8. When moving out to a mile a month later, he finished third in another allowance with a $32,000 claiming option on the main turf.

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Arabian Prince is by Mshawish, who has sired 15 percent winners on synthetics, and he did breeze three furlongs in 36.80 seconds over the Tapeta before his last race. Rafael Hernandez will ride him again for Russata Stables.

Victory Achieved could be favored while negotiating the 6 1/2-furlong distance over which he graduated with an 83 Beyer Speed Figure on Sept. 6. That was the lightly raced sophomore’s first start since April 26, when he was a troubled third in a five-furlong maiden special on the Gulfstream grass.

Patrick Husbands retains the mount on Victory Achieved for Mark Casse. They are the most successful jockey-trainer combo in Woodbine history.

Causin’ Mayhem could make some noise right off the $40,000 claim by high-percentage trainer Jim Ensom. The 1-for-19 gelding has done the bulk of his best running in turf sprints, so one can ignore his subpar showing two back over a mile on the inner turf.

Causin’ Mayhem has just a third-place finish to his credit from five synthetic-track starts. The son of Into Mischief breezed a half-mile in 48.20 on the Tapeta on Oct. 13 for his new trainer and will be ridden by Sahin Civaci.

Also entered in Thursday’s sixth race are Western Whirl, Jaggersgotagun, Cooler Man, and Warhol.

Western Whirl beat two future allowance winners when a clear second after leading the way in a race sprint at this level that was taken off the turf Sept. 22. His overall form is more appealing if you ignore his two stakes starts over a mile in the Grade 1 Summer and Toronto Cup.

Jaggersgotagun displayed good front-running form early in the meet when beating Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens in his second race off the bench. He hasn’t been an impact player against nonwinner-of-two Ontario-sired allowance types and is moving up in class.

Cooler Man has a maiden victory to his credit from six Tapeta excursions and might be at his best over 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf.

Post time for the eight-race card is 4:50 p.m.

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