Bull Page offers hunch-play exactor

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Not Bourbon and Drunken Love may seem to be an incompatible combination, but they could form the exactor in Saturday's $125,000 Bull Page Stakes here at Woodbine.

First, however, they will have to get by Stuck in Traffic, who looms a solid front-running threat in the field of eight Ontario-sired 2-year-old colts and geldings for the six-furlong race.

Not Bourbon, owned and bred by Charles Fipke and trained by Roger Attfield, is coming off a closing second-place finish in an open first-level allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs.

"We rated him in his last race, and he did very well," said Attfield. "I'm looking forward to stretching him out but I can't pass up this race."

Not Bourbon won his maiden at 5 1/2 furlongs two starts back after finishing third in the Vandal, a six-furlong race for Ontario foals that was won by Stuck in Traffic in his second career outing.

In his first start, Not Bourbon finished fourth at six furlongs, 1o1/2 lengths behind Drunken Love, who ran second while making his debut.

On Monday, Not Bourbon tuned up for the Bull Page with a four-furlong breeze in 47.60 seconds.

"It was faster than I really wanted him to do, but he really was 'breezing,' " said Attfield. "And that was on a day everybody was complaining how deep the track was."

Jono Jones retains the mount on Not Bourbon, who will begin from the outside.

Drunken Love has finished second in each of his three starts, including the seven-furlong Simcoe, a yearling sales stakes, last time out.

"On a repeat of that performance, he should be very tough," said Mark Casse, who trains and co-owns Drunken Love. "I believe shortening up from seven-eighths to three-quarters will be a bonus."

Patrick Husbands retains the mount on Drunken Love, who will break from post 3.

Casse and Husbands teamed up to win last year's Bull Page with Legal Move.

Stuck in Traffic, who followed his Vandal win with a second-place finish behind the unbeaten Bear Holiday in the 6 1/2-furlong Silver Deputy, may be compromised by his draw of the inside post.

David Clark retains the mount on Stuck in Traffic, who is trained by Nick Gonzalez.

Attfield also will send out Sand Cove, who won his maiden at five furlongs in his third career start here Aug. 12 but then finished a distant eighth in the Simcoe.

"He's training really well right now," said Attfield. "He deserves a shot."