Big Ransom moves to synthetic in search of maiden win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A steady diet of low-level claimers and maiden races will populate the final month of the Woodbine meet. Friday’s richest event is a $70,700 hybrid sprint for maiden 2-year-olds, combining Ontario-sired types with $40,000 claimers.

Big Ransom is making his first non-turf start in the six-furlong Tapeta race. The son of 11 percent synthetic sprint sire Big Brown is out of a two-turn synthetic winner at Woodbine.

After running fourth in his debut in a seven-furlong maiden special for Ontario-bred graduates of any sale on Sept. 10, Big Ransom finished eighth in the 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer Stakes for Canadian-breds.

Big Ransom breezed five-eighths in a quick 47.80 seconds on the Tapeta on Oct. 23. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Boulanger will ride the gelding for trainer Denyse McClachrie, who has solid numbers with turnbacks and when going turf to synthetic.

Do the Griddy was only an early factor at first asking on the grass, but his encore Oct. 2 going six furlongs was much improved. Sent off at 5-2, the son of Kantharos raced in second most of the way behind the eventual winner and then dug in to secure second with 57 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Kazushi Kimura will ride Do the Griddy again for second-leading trainer Kevin Attard. They’ve won at a 20-percent clip together at the meet.

Guns n’ Rojas just missed in his second start traveling about seven-eighths on the main turf. He went on to finish fourth as the favorite over seven furlongs on the Tapeta, and was a wide fifth most recently over the main turf course, which was labeled good.

Emma-Jayne Wilson picks up the mount on Guns n’ Rojas for trainer Angus Buntain.

There are three first-time starters in the large field by popular Ontario sire Souper Speedy, who’s gotten a good 15 percent 2-year-old debut winners.

Mr Speed is a full brother to the rapid sprinter Miss Speedy, who won the 2021 Duchess Stakes. His dam also produced Bull Page Stakes victor Where’s Neal. Mr Speed has worked fast for trainer John Mattine, who has a 19-percent strike rate with 2-year-old first-timers over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.51.

Grand Ambition goes with blinkers and Lasix for trainer Sarah Ritchie. His dam graduated on debut at 2, but none of her three juvenile starters were victorious.

Stephen B Good also has blinkers. His trainer, Danny Vella, has a positive return on investment with unraced horses. The gelding is a half-brother to 2020 Coronation Futurity winner Stephen, who was a dyed-in-the-wool router by Constitution.

The other first-timer in the body of the race is Street Serenade. A son of freshman sire Seattle Serenade, Street Serenade is a half-brother to a 2-year-old first-out winner. Owner-trainer Steve Owens campaigns the leading local 2-year-old sprinter Poulin in O T.

Post time for Friday’s expanded nine-race card is 1:20 p.m.

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