Attfield keeps comeback colts separated

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Not Bourbon and Sand Cove, a pair of Ontario-sired 4-year-old colts who combined to win seven stakes for trainer Roger Attfield last year, both are scheduled to make their first start of the season this weekend.

Sand Cove and Not Bourbon were nominated to both Saturday's $100,000 Ontario Jockey Club, a seven-furlong turf race for Ontario foals, and Sunday's $150,000 Bold Venture, an open race at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.

Attfield will be looking to divide and conquer, with Sand Cove entered in the Ontario Jockey Club and Not Bourbon pegged for the Bold Venture.

"They just came along at the same time," said Attfield. "I certainly don't want to run them against each other."

Sand Cove won both his turf appearances last year, both restricted one-mile stakes. He won the Vice Regent against fellow 3-year-olds and the Bunty Lawless when facing older rivals.

"He did something to himself in his stall this spring, and needed some time," said Attfield. "He's doing great now."

Not Bourbon will be making his first start since Sept. 20.

"He had a little bit of a hairline fracture in his knee, and I gave him time from that," said Attfield.

Not Bourbon won four stakes, including the Queen's Plate, en route to being voted Canada's champion 3-year-old last year.

Which race for Field Commission?

Field Commission was entered in the Ontario Jockey Club on Wednesday morning but his trainer and co-owner, Danny Vella, was considering cross-entering the colt in the Bold Venture.

The 4-year-old Field Commission won the Grade 3 Vigil over seven furlongs on Polytrack on May 19 and then finished a strong second in the Grade 3 Highlander over six furlongs on turf on June 21.

Field Commission blew out four furlongs in 51.40 seconds on the main track on Wednesday.

Marchfield tunes up for Nijinsky

Marchfield, winner of the Grade 3 Dominion Day over 1 1/4 miles here July 1, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 on the main track on Wednesday.

Last year's champion older horse in Canada, Marchfield is scheduled to make his next start here on the grass in the Grade 2, $300,000 Nijinsky over 1 1/4 miles on July 26.

Marchfield won the Breeders', the final leg of the Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, over 1 1/2 miles on turf here in 2007.

Mark Casse, who trains Marchfield, also worked Tasty Temptation and Retraceable over the training track turf course on Wednesday.

Tasty Temptation, with Patrick Husbands in the irons, was clocked in 1:02 for five furlongs while Retraceable breezed the same distance in 1:02.40 under Corey Fraser.

"The turf was really hard, and Patrick said he shut [Tasty Temptation] down after about three furlongs," said Casse. "Retraceable worked really nice."

Both Tasty Temptation and Retraceable are nominated for the $250,000 Wonder Where, a 1 1/4-mile turf race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies here July 25.

Tasty Temptation also is under consideration for the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont July 25.

Lady Shakespeare points to Saratoga

Lady Shakespeare breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 on the training turf while going in company with older stablemate Russian Rosie. She is slated to make her next start in Saratoga's Lake George on July 31.

The Lake George, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, offers Grade 2 status and a purse of $150,000.

Koonunga Hill aims for Passing Mood

Koonunga Hill breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 on the training turf Wednesday in preparation for next Wednesday's $125,000 Passing Mood, a seven-furlong turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.

Jono Jones was aboard for the drill and will ride Koonunga Hill for the first time in the Passing Mood.

Koonunga Hill ran well on the turf last year, winning the seven-furlong Ice Water and ending third in the Grade 3 Natalma over one mile.

Klesaris's experiment short-lived

Trainer Steve Klesaris, who had been expected to have his first full-time division at Woodbine this year, has packed up is horses and gone home.

In just 11 starts at the meeting, the Klesaris outfit failed to send out a winner but did record four second-place finishes.

"There were changes in his ownership group, and he couldn't sustain a stable here," said Steve Lym, who is the racing secretary and a director of racing for the Woodbine Entertainment Group.