Conquest Titan gets class relief off layoff in sprint co-feature
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse will take two shots at the co-featured eighth race at Woodbine on Saturday, when he runs Conquest Titan and Constantino in the second-level optional claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs.
Conquest Titan captured the Swynford Stakes here in 2013 before missing the board in both the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Last year, he finished second in the Grade 2 Holy Bull, fourth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, and fifth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. He has been idle since running a well-beaten sixth in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill in June.
Constantino made all eight of his starts here last year, banking more than $150,000 on the strength of three victories. He rallied inside to land his six-furlong debut and then placed in two allowance routes before clearing the first allowance condition on the turnback to a sprint Aug. 9.
Constantino prevailed by disqualification in a seven-furlong optional claimer Aug. 31, after which he ran third in two more optional claimers that sandwiched a failed turf experiment.
No stakes were carded for Saturday. There are five allowances on the appealing 10-race card, including a second-level optional claimer for fillies and mares that is headed by Wild N Clever and Bear’s Pearl.
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KEY CONTENDERS
Conquest Titan (Last 3 Beyers: 57-85-87)
◗ The son of classic winner Birdstone wintered in Florida before working at Oaklawn, Keeneland, and Woodbine, so he should be pretty fit. Patrick Husbands will ride him for the first time.
Constantino (Last 3 Beyers: 83-55-80)
◗ The 5-year-old is proven while fresh, albeit against maidens, and he had worked quickly at the Ocala Training Center before posting two average five-furlong drills here recently. Gary Boulanger has the call on the flashy chestnut.
Sniper (Last 3 Beyers: 77-76-82)
◗ He was demoted from first to fourth in a somewhat-controversial disqualification Aug. 31, when Constantino was placed first. His six-length loss Nov. 22 is better than it appears at face value when you consider that he had a very wide trip over an inside-biased track.
◗ Leading rider Alan Garcia has the mount on the Barb Minshall-trained 6-year-old.
Chief Exchanger (Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-79)
◗ The probable pacesetter has been working at Walnut Hall in preparation for his first start since he notched an optional claimer Dec. 7 at Turfway.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Chief Exchanger’s trainer, Susan Cooney, has won at a 21 percent clip with 61- to 180-day comebackers over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.33.