Dublin Lane comes off a record run

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dublin Lane, Woodbine's newest track-record holder, will jump from maiden to stakes company Sunday in the $150,000 Woodstock, a six-furlong event for 3-year-olds.

Dublin Lane was mildly competitive in his three 2-year-old outings, which were all in the spring. He missed the second half of 2008, and spent the winter at the Classic Mile Training Center in Ocala, Fla., with owner-trainer Laurie Silvera.

Dublin Lane returned from a 10-month layoff April 11 and romped in a five-furlong maiden special in a time of 56.41 seconds, 0.01 faster than the record set by The Great Caruso last April.

Assistant trainer Devon Boreland said things went awry with Dublin Lane last June.

"After his last race last year, he was a bit off up front," Boreland said. "The boss decided to give him some time off and turn him out for the rest of the year. He thought highly of him from day one."

Boreland believes gelding Dublin Lane in January helped the horse realize his potential.

"He made a big turnaround," said Boreland. "He started to work much better, and it showed in the race. We worked him five-eighths in 1:02 a few days ago. It was an easy work. He went very good."

Casey's on Call was claimed for $75,000 in February at Gulfstream by trainer Alec Fehr. He subsequently finished fifth after a troubled break in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes, and was the pacemaker in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, before fading in the stretch.

Fehr said second-level allowances for 3-year-olds weren't filling at Gulfstream, so he decided to go the ambitious route with Casey's on Call.

"We took a couple of long shots in Florida, basically because this horse is always firing when you train him," Fehr said. "In hindsight, maybe we should have just gotten down to business and try to get the money back."

Casey's on Call is unbeaten while sprinting, and Fehr is looking forward to running him short again.

"He's 2 for 2 on the Poly, and this is his distance," Fehr said.

Congor Bay could be favored off his spotty Santa Anita form. He beat a weak field two starts ago in the San Pedro Stakes, but is exiting a lackluster performance in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes.

Heart of a King and Valiancy are both coming off an allowance victory in the United States. Both seem capable of winning this wide-open dash.