Boss Holiday looks to bounce back in sprint

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Boss Holiday, who was in fine form prior to a dull outing in the Frost King Stakes, is certainly eligible to get back on the beam in Friday’s Woodbine headliner for 2-year-olds. Carded as the seventh race on an eight-race card with a 1 p.m. post time, the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for nonwinners of two combines Ontario-sired allowance types with $40,000 claimers.

Boss Holiday was a short-priced second to the future multiple stakes winner Poulin in O T when debuting June 24. Five weeks later, the full brother to stakes winner Bossy Holiday graduated in front-running fashion in a five-furlong dash for Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens.

Things did not go smoothly for Boss Holiday most recently in the Frost King Stakes for Ontario-sired juveniles. He was bumped along the backstretch before being steadied between rivals entering the turn en route to a distant fourth-place finish behind Poulin in O T and Silent Fortune.

Boss Holiday worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on the Tapeta last Friday for trainer Kevin Attard, who has two Breeders’ Cup starters at Keeneland this week. Justin Stein retains the mount on the Ivan Dalos homebred.

Puddingontheritz possesses the highest Beyer Speed Figures in the seven-horse field, but there could be some chinks in the speedster’s armor.

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Puddingontheritz dusted Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens by 4 1/2 lengths with a 69 Beyer in his six-furlong opener Oct. 2. Three weeks later, he disposed of a rival up front before taking control and then faded to third in a six-furlong allowance with a $75,000 claiming option, earning a 68 Beyer.

Competing on short rest Friday, Puddingontheritz stretches out a half-furlong under the hot speed rider Eswan Flores. Mike Mattine trains the son of Frac Daddy for owner Greg Van Camp.

Sooner Lunar is hard to gauge in his first synthetic start since the spring, when he was beaten in double digits in a pair of short Tapeta sprints.

Sooner Lunar graduated over about seven furlongs on the main turf in his penultimate race. He put away the other speed in the Cup and Saucer Stakes for Canadian-breds on Oct. 9 before fading to fourth in a deceptively good performance going 1 1/16 miles.

David Moran will ride Sooner Lunar again for trainer Mike Doyle, who has excellent numbers going turf to synthetic.

Might Bee Speedy was a professional debut winner traveling 5 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 16. Sent off as the favorite after posting some lively works, the son of Souper Speedy was bumped at the break before rallying along the rail to prevail by a length with a 51 Beyer.

Posturing raced wide over an inside-biased track when a well-beaten third in the 6 1/2-furlong Frost King. He won a slow $25,000 maiden claimer in his previous appearance.

Half to Reload and Gem Quality are both adding blinkers after finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Frost King.

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