Are You Kidding Me looks solid in Durham Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Are You Kidding Me, last year’s Canadian champion older male runner, should be the boss in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

A versatile 6-year-old trained by Roger Attfield, Are You Kidding Me has run four solid races since his season opener at Keeneland. After winning the Grade 2 Eclipse on the Tapeta here May 28, he wound up fifth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on dirt at Churchill Downs. Perhaps his best effort was a second on the Tapeta on Aug. 1 in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup, which was won by Breaking Lucky, who subsequently finished a close fourth in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga.

Are You Kidding Me is exiting a second to Messi in the Grade 2 Sky Classic on the grass. The 10-furlong distance of that event was just beyond his optimal distance, and the cutback to nine furlongs on the Tapeta here should be ideal, although he could only manage a third in last year’s Durham Cup.

The Durham Cup is race 3 on the 10-race card.

Attfield also has a contender in Saturday’s co-feature: Calling Rhy Rhy in the $150,000 Ontario Colleen, which goes as race 8.

Caren is looking to solidify her status as Canada’s leading 3-year-old filly in the Ontario Colleen. She seeks her third straight stakes win in this Grade 3 turf mile for 3-year-old fillies. Her main rival should be the unbeaten Ancient Secret, who has been idle since July 22, when she took the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown.

Durham Cup

KEY CONTENDERS

Are You Kidding Me, by Run Away and Hide

Last 3 Beyers: 98-99-96

◗ He drew well on the outside in the five-horse field.

DRF Formulator fact: During the past five years, Attfield is 3 for 13 (23 percent) with turf-to-synthetic starters in graded route stakes, with a return on investment of $2.13.

Up With the Birds, by Stormy Atlantic

Last 3 Beyers: 95-97-93

◗ The 2013 Canadian Horse of the Year, he bypassed last Saturday’s Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf in favor of this easier spot. It will be his first synthetic-track start since his memorable second in the 2013 Queen’s Plate, in which a speed-favoring Polytrack carried longshot Midnight Aria to victory.

◗ After winning the nine-furlong, Grade 2 Nijinsky two starts back, he rallied from sixth to finish third in the Sky Classic.

Decision Day, by Macho Uno

Last 3 Beyers: 89-85-80

◗ He was supplemented for $3,000 off a front-running score in a second-level optional claimer.