Cairo Caper moves to turf in second start

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Nathan Squires is best known for training 2022 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Cairo Consort, whom he sent out to finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Squires has another offspring of Cairo Prince in Thursday’s first race, Cairo Caper, who will transition to the turf in the six-furlong maiden special for 2-year-olds.

When debuting in a five-furlong maiden special on the Tapeta on May 31, Cairo Caper awaited room along the inside behind the leaders in the stretch before checking in third at 10-1.

“I thought he would have won, but he did not behave like he usually does,” Squires said. “He got a little edgy in the paddock. He was a bit unruly in the gate. He drew post 1 and got stuck down on the inside and never got any daylight. When he got a little daylight in the last sixteenth, he just got up for third and galloped out well. Things just didn’t go right for him.”

Squires said his crew has worked with Cairo Caper since his debut and has reason to believe the Kentucky-bred will improve Thursday.

“We gate-schooled him and paddock-schooled him,” Squires said. “He’s good to go. The Cairo Princes run on anything—synthetic, dirt, turf. He’s shown a lot of ability in the mornings. Hopefully, he puts it all together and we get a win.”

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Squires tries Taproom on the inner turf in the nightcap, a $15,000 maiden claimer going a mile for fillies and mares. She has finished third or fourth in all three of her spring starts on the Tapeta.

“She is what she is,” Squires said. “She’s by Tapiture and out of a Scat Daddy mare. I love turf racing, and we always try all of our horses on the turf, either once or twice, and see what happens. Hopefully, she moves up on it.”

Squires sent out the Cairo Prince filly Bound to Be True to land her debut by 5 1/4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden special June 8. She’s nominated to the $125,000 My Dear Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong Tapeta dash here July 13.

Cairo Caper meets six rivals Thursday, including Kokomo, Shifty, Issac Leo, and Monterey Bay.

Kokomo has finished second after showing early foot in both of his outings in shorter Tapeta sprints against maiden special opposition. The son of 15 percent turf sprint sire Flameaway is out of a mare who failed to produce a turf winner from three starters.

Unraced Shifty beat company in a half-mile gate work in 48 seconds on June 28. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is a half-sister to Grade 2-winning grass sprinter Big Runner.

Trainer Mark Casse sends out Shifty and Isaac Leo, who got away slowly before racing wide when sixth behind Cairo Caper at first asking. His sire, Outwork, has had 17 percent turf-sprint winners.

The Wesley Ward-trained Monterey Bay ships in from Kentucky off a chalky fourth in his April 25 debut on the Keeneland grass. Ward is removing blinkers from the son of Good Magic’s equipment.

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