Ashley's Archer gets King's Plate tryout in Coronation Futurity

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ashley’s Archer will try to establish himself as a King’s Plate horse for next year in the Coronation Futurity, one of two $250,000 stakes for Canadian-breds on Saturday at Woodbine, along with the Princess Elizabeth for fillies.

Ashley’s Archer graduated second time out when stretching out and changing surfaces Sept. 15. He ran a second strong race Oct. 6 in another 1 1/16-mile main turf route, the Cup and Saucer Stakes, but was disqualified from first to fifth for stretch interference. The son of Karakontie was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar by trainer Mark Casse.

“He didn’t get in and then we tried to run him in a [Churchill] allowance race,” Casse said. “He probably prefers grass, but we’re going to give him another try on the Tapeta. The only time we tried him on it was sprinting. I want to know now to decide if he’s a King’s Plate horse next year. He’s pretty talented, with a nice pedigree.”

Sahin Civaci rides Ashley’s Archer from post 3 in an 11-horse field.

Trainer Kevin Attard sends out Dewolf, Faber, Scuderia, and supplement Conacher in the nine-furlong Coronation, which hasn’t been won by the following year’s Plate winner since Norcliffe in 1975-76.

Bull Page Stakes victor Dewolf was promoted from third to second in the Cup and Saucer and is coming off a solid second in the Grade 3 Grey on the Tapeta.

Watsonville Red is an improving maiden with ample stamina, according to trainer Mike DePaulo.

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“I think they don’t write races long enough for him,” DePaulo said. “He’s definitely going to be a 3-year-old [contender].”

Kekoa passed his first two-turn test when beating Ontario-sired allowance stock Nov. 2 for trainer Catherine Day Phillips.

Princess Elizabeth

Casse sends out Shifty, Ella It Is, and Princess of Storm in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth.

Shifty won her maiden in front-running style in the Aug. 23 Catch a Glimpse Stakes on the grass. She was favored against males in the Grey and led until midstretch before fading to third.

“I thought she ran good in the Grey,” Casse recalled. “She didn’t settle well there. She has to learn how to settle. Once she learns, she’ll be very tough.”

Attard saddles Brengungirl and Beach Cricket, who are both experimenting around two turns.

Unbeaten Brengungirl is adding Lasix after notching a pair of restricted Tapeta sprints, most notably the South Ocean Stakes.

“I can’t see any reason why two turns would be an issue,” Attard said. “She’s a very mature horse for her age.”

Beach Cricket rallied belatedly for third as the favorite in a six-furlong maiden special when debuting Nov. 2.

“Education-wise, that first race was a very good experience for her,” Attard said. “I think she got a lot out of it and that should help her for this one. We’re stepping up and tackling two turns, but she has given us every indication she’s up for the challenge.”

DePaulo entered a trio of maidens – Ready for Candy, Orient Beach, and Scat Girl.

Ready for Candy has been saddled with the outside post 12 under Julien Leparoux. She had a troubled trip when seventh in the Grade 1 Summer, when fourth in the Cup and Saucer, and when third most recently in the Grade 3 Mazarine.

“She’s been very unlucky in her last three starts,” DePaulo noted. “I thought the Cup and Saucer was a race she could have won. She almost got knocked down and finished fifth. They placed her fourth. She was really running on end.”

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