A double dose of turf maidens

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Maiden special weight events make up half of the eight-race card on Wednesday night at Woodbine, and the daily double is composed of a pair of maiden specials on the grass.

Gator King should be favored in the opener, at 1 1/4 miles. Trained by Brian Lynch, Gator King raced wide when second under identical conditions as these in his first turf try, July 27, from which victorious Read the Stars exited to finish third in a first-level allowance.

The runner with the most upside in the field might be Narzan, who disappointed after getting bet down to 5-2 when he debuted in a recent Polytrack sprint. Narzan is by an accomplished turf sire, Cozzene, and out of a turf stakes winner. Trainer Justin Nixon is putting him on Lasix.

Other possibilities in the first include Runoff to L A, River Heights, and Legal Ties.

Legal Ties is experimenting with blinkers, and has a new rider, Todd Kabel, who is replacing the suspended Emile Ramsammy.

Power of Attorney and El Gran Jake are the most appealing contenders in the second, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired stock.

Power of Attorney is by multiple turf stakes winner Crown Attorney, the sire of Rahy's Attorney, who won Sunday's Vice Regent Stakes on the grass.

Power of Attorney encountered traffic problems on the far turn in each of his last two outings. He is making his grass debut for owner-trainer Henry Palecki.

El Gran Jake rallied for third when going a mile in his only turf attempt on July 25, which followed a long layoff.

Woodbourne should garner lots of support in the fourth, a maiden special at seven furlongs on the Polytrack.

Woodbourne is by former leading sire Danzig, whose offspring have won at a phenomenal 24 percent clip at first asking. His last two works came in near black-letter time, and his trainer, Mark Casse, possesses solid numbers with first-time starters.

Woodbourne's main opposition could be Geste and Free to Sing, who is closely related to Grade 2 stakes winner Broken Vow.

River Barrow should be prominent in the finale, a six-furlong maiden sprint for Ontario-sired females.