Bull Page presents easier spot for Dewolf

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard should have the one to beat if Dewolf runs in Sunday’s $100,000 Bull Page Stakes for Ontario-sired male 2-year-olds. The colt was cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Summer at Woodbine.

Dewolf wound up fourth when debuting in a July 4 maiden special going six furlongs. The top two finishers both came back to win, including Cairo Caper, who doubled up in the Soaring Free Stakes. Most recently on Aug. 24, Dewolf, a son of Silent Name, dominated Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens in a 6 1/2-furlong main turf race while earning a respectable 76 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’d trained really well at the farm in Kentucky before he got here,” Attard recalled. “He’s a good-looking individual. We thought he might be one of our better 2-year-olds. I was a little disappointed in his first start, but it turned out to be a key race. We waited for the races to stretch out to give him a little more distance, which is what we figured he wants. I thought he put it all together in his last race.”

The Bull Page, a seven-furlong main turf sprint, is a furlong shorter the $500,000 Summer, which is a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event.

“It’s a no-brainer which one is going to be the easier of the two,” Attard said. “I’m going to talk it over with the owners and figure it out.”

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Among the others entered in the eight-horse field are Kekoa, Shadow Realm, and Unbridled Weather. Kekoa is making his turf debut off a runner-up placing to Scorching in the Simcoe Stakes, and the son of Reload is bred for the task at hand.

Attard runs Skylight Caper in Sunday’s $100,000 Victorian Queen, the filly equivalent of the Bull Page.

Skylight Caper made all three of her starts on the Tapeta, graduating second time out before finishing a chalky second in the Muskoka Stakes. Attard felt that her Muskoka performance was somewhat disappointing.

“She broke, sucked herself out of the race, and then closed late,” Attard said. “In her second start, she was more forwardly placed and ran like we expected. I worked her on the turf last weekend with blinkers and she got over it really well.

“I’m hoping the blinkers will keep her a little more focused. She’s built like a two-turn horse.”

Trainer Mark Casse sends out 2023 King’s Plate winner Paramount Prince’s half-sister Souper Supreme and Ella It Is.

The speedy Souper Supreme won her second start in a slow maiden special before romping in the 6 1/2-furlong Muskoka with a 71 Beyer.

“She reminded me of her brother,” Casse said.

By good turf sire Point of Entry, Ella It Is woke up at second asking when landing a 6 1/2-furlong maiden sprint on the Tapeta.

“Obviously, her last race was good,” Casse said. “I would think she would like the grass.”

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