Challenging pick four at Woodbine

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Thursday’s pick four sequence at Woodbine is a challenging one, beginning with a large field of $15,000 maidens in the fourth race for fillies and mares.

Cee’nceesgreytness is a candidate to love the stretch-out to 6 1/2 furlongs in the main-turf sprint. Trained by Norm McKnight, the daughter of Cupid was bumped at the break before closing from 11 lengths back to finish a lapped-on third when debuting in a five-furlong inner-turf dash for $7,500 maidens on Sept. 15.

Apprentice Slade Jones retains the mount on Cee’nceesgreytness. Woodbine’s leading bug is 3 for 15 at the meet for McKnight, who won at an 18 percent clip with maiden second-time starters in the past five years with a return on investment of $1.07.

Other contenders in the fourth include Jimmy Is a Breeze, who has been second three times, including in her only turf start, and the turnbacker Rookie Court.

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The Mark Casse-trained second-time starter First Frost could take some catching in the fifth, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens.

First Frost came up empty in the drive after dueling for the lead the only time she saw action, in a July 16 maiden special on the grass that contained two next-out winners. She’s a daughter of Frosted, who’s produced 11 percent winners in synthetic sprints and is the sire of reigning Canadian champion male 3-year-old Frosted Over.

Kazushi Kimura will ride First Frost, who has posted average works.

Sacred Dancer is adding blinkers off a narrow loss in a five-furlong inner-turf dash. She made the board in five of six Tapeta starts and isn’t a prime win candidate, but could finally graduate if First Frost doesn’t fire.

The sixth, a $25,000 claimer traveling seven-eighths, could belong to one of the droppers from first-level allowance company. Gizmo’s B F F and Hello Friends fit the bill.

Gizmo’s B F F peaked when crushing Ontario-sired allowance opposition with a 79 Beyer Speed Figure on May 20. The Giant Gizmo filly disappointed in her last two races, one of which was on the grass.

Hello Friends, who ran decently in two second-level allowances earlier in the meet, is exiting a sixth-place finish with a $32,000 claiming tag. The 6-year-old is being reunited with Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has ridden her to victory three times.

Valley Girl is seeking her fourth consecutive win in the seventh race, a seven-furlong starter-optional claimer for fillies and mares. The red-hot Rafael Hernandez has been along for the ride and will pilot her again for trainer Sandra Dominguez.

Machisima is a viable alternative to the favorite. She was a front-running second to Valley Girl in a seven-furlong sprint taken off the turf Aug. 18, but was softened up in a speed duel most recently when sixth in an inner-turf mile.

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