Breeders' contenders get in their works

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The turf training track was open for a special session on Monday morning, and Cryptonite Kid, Dylan's Choice, and Mamma's Knight all worked with an eye toward Sunday's Breeders' Stakes.

The $500,000 Breeders', a 1 1/2-mile turf race, is the third leg of the Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Cryptonite Kid, trained by Danny Vella, had Tyler Pizarro in the irons as he went five furlongs in 1:01.80 over going officially rated good.

"It was quite soft," said Vella. "He finished very strong."

Cryptonite Kid last saw action here June 21, finishing fourth in the Charlie Barley over one mile.

Dylan's Choice was clocked in 1:00.80 for five furlongs, while Mamma's Knight went four furlongs in 48.60 seconds under jockey Jim McAleney.

In his last start, Dylan's Choice, trained by Desmond Maynard, ended fifth in the July 12 Toronto Cup at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Mamma's Knight, trained by Sam DiPasquale, ran seventh in the Queen's Plate but then was a beaten choice in a restricted second-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles.

In other Breeders' Stakes news:

* Marlang worked a strong six furlongs in 1:12.80 over the main track here Sunday with his regular rider, Richard Dos Ramos, in the irons.

"He worked great - we just let him go, on his own," said Debbie England, who trains Marlang for owner/breeder Gustav Shickedanz. "I was going to work him on the grass, but he really doesn't like the soft turf."

Marlang, who captured the Charlie Barley, is one of just two stakes winners in the prospective Breeders' lineup.

* Deputiformer, who won the Cup and Saucer at 1 1/16 miles on turf here last fall, worked on the training track Sunday, breezing six furlongs in 1:16.20 under regular rider Jerry Baird.

"He had another horse hook up with him at the half-mile pole," said Mike DePaulo, who trains Deputiformer for owner David James. "The track was very slow."

DePaulo also sent out Pronger to breeze six furlongs on the training track in 1:15 under exercise rider Chris Garraway.

Pronger, owned by Mario Forgione, is coming off a third-place finish in Fort Erie's 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales.

* East End Tap, runner-up in the Prince of Wales, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 under jockey Slade Callaghan on the training track.

"I was very, very happy with him," said trainer Reade Baker, who also commented on the slow nature of the surface.

* Sligovitz, trained by Brian Lynch, worked four furlongs in 49.40 seconds on the main track Sunday under Todd Kabel, going in company with stablemate Ghost Hour, a 4-year-old ridden by Emile Ramsammy who is heading for Monday's Nijinsky Stakes.

Kabel piloted Sligovitz to a head victory in a first-level allowance at 1 1/4 miles in his last start here July 13.

Palmers, the runner-up there, also is on target for the Breeders' and breezed five furlongs in 1:03 last Saturday with regular rider Patrick Husbands in the irons.

* Solitaire, based at Saratoga with trainer Jim Bond, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on the training track there Saturday and is scheduled to arrive later this week for the Breeders'.

"He worked very, very well," said Bond, who watched Solitaire finish third in the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate here June 22 following his near-miss as the runner-up in the Plate Trial three weeks earlier.

Solitaire had made just one start before those invasions, running a troubled third in a 1 1/8-mile maiden race over the Gulfstream Park turf course on April 14.

"Hopefully, he'll handle the turf up there," said Bond. "I think he ran a pretty creditable race on the grass first time out."