Drexler sends out pair in first leg of Woodbine Turf Sprint Series

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Owner Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Marty Drexler send out Silent Flash and Emicrack in the opening leg of the Woodbine Turf Sprint Series on Friday. The five-furlong inner turf dash is for older runners who raced for $25,000 or less in 2022-23, or $40,000 claimers.

Silent Flash was claimed by his current connections for $15,000 last June, after which he lost a nail-biter to the hard-knocking Reconfigure in a leg of this series in July. Following another runner-up placing in August, the durable 9-year-old finished sixth in another $25,000 claimer before heading to the sidelines.

Silent Flash resurfaced on Feb. 15 at Gulfstream, when he attended a fast pace before flattening out to fifth. He won his last start there March 8 going five furlongs, from which third-place finisher Xy Speed exited to win another $35,000 conditioned claimer before ending up second in a $60,000 handicap.

Emicrack, one of several front-runners in the seven-horse field, is making his first start for Schickedanz. The Chilean-bred led until about the sixteenth pole before weakening to second last time out in a $25,000 Tapeta sprint. Going back five years, Drexler scored at a 25 percent clip off the claim, with a return on investment of $2.17.

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Leading rider Kazushi Kimura has the call on Silent Flash, and Sahin Civaci takes over on Emicrack. Both have a good record for Drexler at the meet.

Above Par is taking on the boys off a gate-to-wire score in a five-furlong Tapeta dash for $25,000 females, for which she got a big 90 Beyer Speed Figure in her third straight win. She was claimed for $16,000 from her penultimate start at Tampa. Her trainer, Zeljko Krcmar, had a 26 percent strike rate second time off a claim during the past five years, with an ROI of $2.10.

Lining up just outside Above Par in post 7 is longshot Marten River, who was softened up in a speed duel in his May 30 season opener in allowance/optional claimer at his Fort Erie base.

Restricted stakes winner Red River Rebel is dropping out of a conditioned allowance to compete for the $40,000 claiming price. He was a non-factor during a wide trip in that Tapeta sprint, but has worked a bullet half-mile on the training track in the interim and could be rejuvenated.

Sunspear brings improving $25,000 claiming form to this race and could sneak into the exotics after an inside trip in his third start off the bench.

Western Trouble was a troubled fourth behind Sunspear and wound up third behind Emicrack in his two most recent excursions, both for $25,000.

Win-shy Aim for the Sky placed in all three of his turf starts, without a victory. The other speed in the field could run him into the ground.

Rounding out the field is Happymac, who’s stepping up off a fading fifth and a $23,500 claim in his seasonal bow.

Post time for the eight-race card is 1:10 p.m.

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