Attfield duo seek return to winning form in Labeeb Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield holds a strong hand for Sunday’s $100,000 Labeeb Stakes for 3-year-olds and up over a mile on the Woodbine turf, as he’ll send out a pair of graded stakes winners in search of their first win since the summer.
Tower of Texas and Are You Kidding Me both started the Woodbine meet strong. Tower of Texas reeled off three straight wins, highlighted by his 2 3/4-length score in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes on June 21, while Are You Kidding Me captured the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes and Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes in his first two starts of the meet.
Tower of Texas exits an even seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, where he did not display the explosive turn of foot in the stretch that he had in his prior starts this year. Meanwhile, Are You Kidding Me shortens up after being passed late in the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack in his last start on Oct. 3. Prior to that, he lost ground late to be fourth in the Presque Isle Mile Stakes on synthetic on Sept. 6.
KEY CONTENDERS
Tower of Texas (Last 3 Beyers: 92-99-95)
◗ He’s the lone graded stakes winner at a mile on the turf in the field, but may need pace to run at in front of him. The Labeeb field does not appear to have a clear front-runner.
Are You Kidding Me (Last 3 Beyers: 95-89-94)
◗ He appears to be at his best at longer distances, as his two wins this year came at 1 1/16 miles and 1 1/8 miles. He was also a narrow third in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes over 1 1/4 miles, which could be considered a key race after three horses exited to win graded stakes in their next start.
Money Talker (Last 3 Beyers: 92-78-84)
◗ He won a third-level optional claimer in his first start off the claim for trainer Josie Carroll in August over 1 1/16 miles on this turf course and he has not raced since that Aug. 28 race.
◗ Like Are You Kidding Me, he appears to excel at longer distances.
Hammers Terror (Last 3 Beyers: 93-74-93)
◗ He’ll be making his first start since May, but does have experience over this turf course, having won the Charlie Barley Stakes at a mile during his 3-year-old campaign back in 2012.