British Artillery finds easier competition

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – British Artillery seems ready to fire his best shot in Friday’s eighth race at Woodbine as he gets some class relief in the nonwinners-of-two event. Scheduled for a mile on the inner turf, it combines Ontario-sired allowance stock with $40,000 claimers, and British Artillery is one of seven in the nine-horse field competing with the $40,000 tag.

Owner-trainer Barbara Minshall reaped the rewards with British Artillery’s full brother British Royalty, who captured the 2021 Breeders’ Stakes. She ran British Artillery in that same anchor leg of the Canadian Triple Crown last year, in which the gelding finished eighth of 14.

British Artillery began this season by finishing second as the favorite in a 7 1/2-furlong inner turf race at this level June 28. He had a wide trip most recently when fifth while ahead of two next-out winners in a tougher allowance/optional claimer on the main course.

Justin Stein will be aboard British Artillery again. He began the week by sweeping both Ontario-sired stakes for 3-year-olds on the Prince of Wales undercard at Fort Erie.

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Minshall, the 1996 Sovereign Award winner as outstanding trainer, also is sending out the struggling sophomore Tunechi in the eighth race.

Tunechi finished fourth in two of the biggest juvenile races in the country last year, the Grade 1 Summer on turf and the Grade 3 Grey on the Tapeta. He got a break after missing the board in his first two outings this year in the spring and was a well-beaten sixth when returning to action Aug. 31 in the Toronto Cup Stakes. Emma-Jayne Wilson has the mount.

Jaggersgotagun could set the pace, with Diomedes and Fanore in close proximity.

Owned and trained by Gail Hughes, Jaggersgotagun ran second to the promising Next Pitch after leading until deep stretch in his June 15 comeback. After graduating on the grass July 5, the 4-year-old finished sixth and fourth in a pair of Tapeta sprints. He will be ridden by Jose Campos, who piloted Vitality in an upset score in Tuesday’s $400,000 Prince of Wales.

Diomedes ran well in his lone inner turf excursion, during which he wired Ontario-sired maidens going a mile in his penultimate start. Cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta at this level in his most recent start, the 3-year-old saved ground en route to finishing a close third. Rafael Hernandez will ride him again for hot trainer Norm McKnight. That combinations is a combined 7 for 26 at the meet.

Fanore peaked around this time last year when competitive against open maiden-special company. The Irish-bred finished a close second descending to this class on the inner course Aug. 4 under apprentice Fraser Aebly, who retains the mount for trainer Tony Gattellaro.

Hey Cue is returning from a 15-month layoff and might need one. The son of Accelerate is making his turf debut and is bred for the grass on the dam’s side of his pedigree.

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