Egbert Who gets two-turn experiment
?q=100)
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Off a fine effort sprinting on the Tapeta, Egbert Who experiments around two turns on the inner turf in Thursday’s featured sixth race for nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired allowance types and $40,000 claimers.
Egbert Who won his lone 2-year-old outing against Ontario-sired maidens last August, beating next-out winner Gone With Duwyn and Time Zapper.
Egbert Who returned from a nine-month layoff May 23 to finish a hard-trying third in an Ontario-sired allowance. Most recently at this level going seven furlongs on Tapeta, he set the pace on a golden rail over a track that favored speed and got nailed on the wire while earning a solid 78 Beyer Speed Figure.
A son of 12 percent grass sire Reload, Egbert Who is a half-brother to an unbeaten runner on turf and two turf-placed runners. The average winning distance of his dam’s progeny is just 5.6 furlongs, so the stretch-out to 7 1/2 furlongs is cause for pause.
Keveh Nicholls will ride Egbert Who again for trainer Rick Hayashi and The Estate of Paul Buttigieg.
Bowman’s Run can take the cake if Egbert Who’s experiment doesn’t pan out. The 5-year-old was a $25,000 claim last July by trainer John LeBlanc Jr., who sent him out to place in back-to-back races at this level in August before running him protected at the first allowance category without much luck.
Bowman’s Run awaited room on the far turn during a ground-saving trip en route to finishing fourth when switching to the inner turf in his latest. He competes for the $40,000 again with jockey Ryan Munger subbing for the suspended David Moran.
Among the others in the nine-horse field are Prince Almasty, Spikephil, Paradise Perfect, Wild Card, and Political Warfare.
Prince Almasty failed to put it all together in a series of Tapeta sprints before blowing away $25,000 maidens over a mile on the inner course in his first turf start June 6. The homebred has seemingly found his speciality and could be along for another high placing if all the speed hooks up. Jose Campos will ride him again for trainer Ted Holder.
With the rail in lane 3, Spikephil rode a speed bias on the inner turf in a narrow victory over $25,000 maidens in his June 11 season opener. The rail position in lane 3 again on Thursday might aid his style, but the son of Reload could have company up front from Thank You Honour.
Paradise Perfect brings deteriorating Tapeta form to his first turf start since a third against maidens on the inner layout last August.
Wild Card attended the pace in the two path before fading to third behind Egbert Who in his much-improved last outing. He checked in fifth in his only turf try in spring 2025.
Political Warfare is coming off the sidelines after being reunited with a previous trainer. He was a gate-to-wire maiden winner on the inner turf last September.
Post time for the seven-race card is 3 p.m.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.