Easier task for Soul Rebel

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Soul Rebel, who was scratched from Sunday's $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes, faces a much more comfortable assignment here in Wednesday's $69,100 allowance feature.

An impressive winner of his only career start, a 1 1/16-mile Ontario-sired maiden special here Oct. 5, Soul Rebel will face five rivals in an Ontario-sired first-level allowance. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the race goes as the second and begins a pick seven with a carryover of $1,231.83.

"This race was there, and the stake was there," said John Charalambous, who trains Soul Rebel for owner and breeder Richard Day's Kingview Farm. "So I entered in the stake and, just by coincidence if this race filled, I was scratching. But the last couple of times I entered him, this [type of] race never filled."

A 3-year-old gelding, Soul Rebel was a 7 3/4-length winner in his debut, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

Jono Jones retains the mount on Soul Rebel, who has prepped solidly since his debut and will be heavily favored here.

Randy Jan, a 3-year-old gelding owned by Astor Racing Stable and trained by Reade Baker, is the leading candidate to complete the exactor. A winner in his debut here May 21, Randy Jan did not return to the races until early September and has finished second in three consecutive starts. In his last try, a 1 1/16-mile entry-level allowance for Ontario-sired horses, Randy Jan ran second behind Flat Rock, who has come back to win and then finish a close second in tougher company.

"We wanted to keep him sprinting, but the races weren't filling," Baker said. "He's doing well."

Emile Ramsammy takes over from Jim McAleney, who is in British Columbia to attend his grandmother's funeral.

Molinaro Beau, a well-beaten second to Soul Rebel in their first encounter, came back to score his first victory in a maiden special at 1 1/16 miles here Nov. 10. Owned and bred by Molinaro Stable and trained by Phil England, Molinaro Beau was making his 10th career start after finishing fourth in the Queen's Plate and eighth in the Breeders' Stakes earlier this year.

* In an attempt to make up for some of the races lost to recent cancellations, Woodbine will offer nine races on each of the last two Wednesdays, with an earlier first post of 6:15 p.m. There will be 10 races offered Thursdays and Fridays, beginning at the usual 12:55 p.m, and 12 races on Saturdays and Sundays, with first post moved up to 12:30 p.m.