Design Diva cut out for level and distance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It’s last call for turf racing at the Woodbine meet this week and there are two $25,000 nonwinners-of-two routes in lane 4 on the main course on Friday’s program.

The sixth race drew 10 fillies and mares, including the consistent Design Diva and droppers Noche de Damas and Prophetic Debby.

In her first season for trainer Mike Mattine, Design Diva placed in a pair of two-turn inner turf events in the summer. The 5-year-old switched to the main course Sept. 24 and rallied for a close second after awaiting room on the turn with leading jockey Pietro Moran aboard.

Design Diva made her sixth straight start at this level most recently when shortening up to 6 1/2 furlongs. After getting away slowly, she went three wide on the turn and was along for third under Moran, who rides her again Friday.

Noche de Damas was claimed for $25,000 at Gulfstream last November by trainer Bill Tharrenos. The 3-year-old is winless in seven starts this year but was a minor player versus nonwinners-of-two allowance company early in the summer. After a freshening, she never fired in two races this fall with a $50,000 claiming tag and is plunging to where she could get back on track. Fraser Aebly, the meet’s second-leading rider, takes over.

Prophetic Debby posted identical fifth-place finishes in back-to-back nonwinners-of-two allowance routes on different surfaces prior to her last outing. She was bet down to 3-1 in that Ontario-sired/$40,000 Tapeta sprint and finished a belated fourth after a wide journey.

Daisuke Fukumoto has the call on Prophetic Debby again for his main client, trainer Barbara Minshall.

Trainer Mike DePaulo sends out Chervonaruta and Boss Lady J, who has the look of a live longshot under Leo Salles.

The fourth race is the male version of the sixth and is headed by Maker’s Flatter, who is dropping off a subpar showing and a $40,000 claim by trainer Don MacRae.

Maker’s Flatter manhandled Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens going a mile on the inner course when trying the grass for the first time July 5. A repeat of that performance could be good enough to get the job done in his first start under Rafael Hernandez, who has 31 percent strike rate for MacRae.

Frac City could lead the way with Gone Hunting and Tiz the Power in close proximity.

Frac City crushed $7,000 maidens traveling about seven furlongs when experimenting on the grass on Oct. 12 at Fort Erie. The son of Frac Daddy is charting unknown territory in his first start beyond seven furlongs.

Gone Hunting set soft fractions Aug. 7 when toppling $25,000 maidens on the inner turf with the rail in the speed-friendly lane 3 and hasn’t raced since.

Tiz the Power moved up to this level off a third for $15,000 last time out and was caught on the wire after racing on an uncontested lead. His only turf race was disappointing.

◗ Post time for the seven-race card is 1:05 p.m.