Casse has contenders from front and back in feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Mark Casse leads Norm McKnight by one win, 88-87, in the Woodbine trainer standings heading into Friday’s card, and with two weeks left in the meet Casse will try to add to his cushion in the featured ninth race Sunday at Woodbine, a second-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta.

Casse will send out a pair of horses in the ninth – Salute With Honor and Lord Wimborne. Salute With Honor will likely go favored in this event following his fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes Nov. 3. Salute With Honor won back-to-back starts at this level to kick off his 2019 campaign. He figures to be the pacesetter against this group.

Lord Wimborne will make his North American synthetic debut in this race. The 3-year-old Irish-bred son of Canford Cliffs has raced exclusively on turf since coming to North America earlier this spring, but he did race three times on synthetic surfaces in Ireland for former trainer Edward Harty. He won a first-level allowance event over 1 1/16 miles on turf in his most recent start Oct. 20.

KEY CONTENDERS

Salute With Honor, by To Honor and Serve
Last 3 Beyers: 90-85-91

◗ The 5-year-old, who has been entered for a $62,500 claiming tag, should be able to dictate his own terms on the front end.

◗ He’s won three of his four starts at 1 1/16 miles on Woodbine’s Tapeta, with his lone defeat coming against the likes of Special Forces, Mr. Ritz, and Cooler Mike in the Autumn Stakes.

Lord Wimborne, by Canford Cliffs
Last 3 Beyers: 82-79-72

◗ With his stablemate likely to set a strong pace, it could benefit Lord Wimborne’s off-the-pace running style.

◗ His synthetic form is a bit of an unknown, but he appears to be training well over the Woodbine surface, breezing four furlongs in 48 seconds on Nov. 24.

Hold’emforransom, by Regal Ransom
Last 3 Beyers: 82-81-78

◗ He’s faced next-out winners in his last two starts, including Curlin’s Honor, who came back to win the Artie Schiller Stakes on Nov. 9 at Aqueduct.

◗ He’s stretching out from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, similar to a move he made last season when he won an allowance event on the stretch-out with a 76 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fire for Effect, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 67-78-83

◗ He’ll be looking to rebound following an eighth-place finish at this level and distance on Nov. 10.

◗ Three starts back, he came from off of the pace to be third, beaten a length by Salute With Honor.