Churchtown comes into Connaught Cup off narrow losses against better

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Churchtown returns from a freshening in Sunday’s Grade 2 Connaught Cup on the Woodbine Oaks undercard. Off the company that he’s been keeping, he’s arguably the one to beat in the seven-furlong main turf sprint, which carries a base purse of $175,000.

Churchtown has been campaigned sporadically by trainer Roger Attfield since a neck loss to Luckman in the one-mile Toronto Cup Stakes here Sept. 10. He wired the field going 1 1/16 miles in the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct in November, and then got another break after ending up seventh in the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park, which was taken off the turf and moved to Tapeta.

Churchtown lost a heartbreaker to Steady On after leading the way in the April 1 Appleton at Gulfstream. He endured another narrow loss most recently in another one-mile turf stakes, the Opening Verse on May 4 at Churchill – victorious Annapolis subsequently ran second in the Grade 3 Kelso at Saratoga, and third-place finisher Set Piece returned to win the Grade 3 Arlington at Churchill before ending up third in the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Ellis Park.

“It was an excellent [last] race,” Attfield said. “He’s training very well, and I’m looking forward to running him.”

Churchtown has never competed over seven furlongs, but he did win a 7 1/2-furlong inner turf allowance here last July under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

“It’s a different race, around one big sweeping turn – more like a sprint,” Attfield said. “I think he’ll be fine.”

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The 10-horse field also includes the Kentucky-based supplement Bound for Nowhere and Grade 2 Highlander victor Lucky Score.

Trillium Stakes

Souper Hoity Toity, Il Malocchio, and Angelou are among a group of nine fillies and mares in the Grade 3, $150,000 Trillium, a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route.

In her second start of the year, Souper Hoity Toity upset a troubled Moira when the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year was making her season debut in the Grade 3 Belle Mahone on June 3. Moira came back to run second to the upwardly mobile Fev Rover in the Grade 2 Nassau.

Patrick Husbands will ride the Mark Casse-trained Souper Hoity Toity, who was second to Moira in the 2022 Sovereign Award voting for champion 3-year-old filly.

Il Malocchio blossomed last fall when capturing the Grade 3 Maple Leaf and La Prevoyante Stakes with a pair of 90 Beyer Speed Figures for trainer Marty Drexler. After attending a slow pace set by Souper Hoity Toity in the Belle Mahone, she faded to fourth in her second start of the year.

Angelou was a determined second in last year’s 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf, before coming up empty against the boys when going 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 3 Valedictory. She led all the way and got an 89 Beyer in her June 2 season opener in a 1 1/16-mile conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option. Kevin Attard trains the Curlin mare for owner/breeder Blue Heaven Farm.

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