Attard hoping Special Forces will get his turn in Autumn Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Special Forces has finished behind Mr Ritz in a pair of stakes races this year, and will be looking to turn the tables on his rival in Sunday’s Grade 2, $175,000 Autumn Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward over 1 1/16-miles on Tapeta at Woodbine.

Special Forces and Mr Ritz squared off in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 11 and the Presque Isle Downs Mile Stakes on Sept. 9, with Mr Ritz capturing both races. In the Presque Isle Mile, Special Forces had to come wide from off of the pace to get racing room, and trainer Kevin Attard said the ground loss may have played a part in the result.

“The race set up with a lot of speed. He came charging. Unfortunately, when you’re at the back of the pack, you have to go around all of them,” he said. “He lost ground going a little wide. He tried hard right to the wire. Obviously, Mr Ritz is a good horse. We’re going to have a hard time beating him here as well.”

Special Forces ran back in the Grade 3 Durham Cup stakes on Sept. 28. In that event, Attard thought the slow pace compromised Special Forces, who finished second to pacesetter The Great Day.

“I was a little disappointed in his last start,” he said. “The pace killed him. It’s hard to close on a horse who does those kind of fractions. He’s worked well. He came out of that race good. I’m hoping we can turn the tables on Mr Ritz and everybody else.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Special Forces, by Candy Ride
Last 3 Beyers: 94-94-92

◗ Eurico Da Silva will take over in the saddle for the Autumn Stakes. Da Silva has a 27 percent strike rate with this barn over the last two years and was aboard Special Forces for an allowance win last October.

Mr Ritz, by Oasis Dream
Last 3 Beyers: 96-95-90

◗ He should be fresh, having raced just four times this year, with his last start coming seven weeks ago in the Presque Isle Downs Mile. He appears to be at his best while on the lead, but may have other speed to contend with in this spot.

Salute With Honor, by To Honor and Serve
Last 3 Beyers: 85-91-66

◗ He’s won back-to-back allowance starts this year at the distance, setting strong paces in both of those events. He’s a speed threat to Mr Ritz, and may have the talent to take this field all of the way.

Cooler Mike, by Giant Gizmo
Last 3 Beyers: 85-48-80

◗ He was supplemented into this race by trainer Nick Nosowenko following a win in the Bunty Lawless Stakes on turf on Oct. 20. He suffered a narrow loss to Kingsport in the Steady Growth Stakes earlier this season on Tapeta, earning a 93 Beyer.

Glorious Song gets seven

Earlier on the card, seven 2-year-old fillies will go to the post in the $100,000 Glorious Song Stakes over seven furlongs on Tapeta. A pair of American shippers are among the key contenders, including New York Groove and Mom’s Red Lipstick. Both horses come into the race undefeated, and both won stakes in their previous start. Trainer Mark Casse, who has won this race the last three years and eight times overall, has entered the stakes-placed Battleofwinterfell and debut winner Tortuga.