Epilogue switches to grass, looks to keep rolling
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Epilogue will try to remain unbeaten at the Woodbine meet on Thursday in a $25,000 claimer on the main turf, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint that could set up nicely for his stretch-running style.
Epilogue won a starter/optional claimer when returning from a winter hiatus on May 6 and then doubled up in another seven-furlong Tapeta sprint three weeks later when beating $20,000 claimers convincingly.
Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller claimed Epilogue for himself on May 27 and ran him back for $25,000 on June 19. With Skye Chernetz aboard, he rallied four wide from sixth to prevail by a neck and got his third straight 77 Beyer Speed Figure in the seven-furlong event.
This will be Epilogue’s first grass start since September, and he has one win from 12 turf starts. That victory came in a $25,000 conditioned claimer going seven-eighths on the main turf in 2019.
Chernetz will ride Epilogue again Thursday, when he carries high weight of 125 pounds. Over the past five years, Tiller has scored at a 29 percent clip second time off a claim, with a return on investment of $3.64.
Analyzer is another 7-year-old gelding who could benefit from the projected hot pace. He vied for the lead before fading to third when returning from an extended layoff on June 3, but did his best running from midpack in the past.
Justin Stein was aboard for Analyzer’s last victory in fall 2020, and retains the mount for trainer Marty Drexler.
Corduroy Road defeated Analyzer when second after dueling for the lead on June 3, when they both had their claiming price waived at the $25,000 class. Corduroy Road breaks from the rail under Emma-Jayne Wilson and could be under the gun from the outset, with the speedy duo of Combative and Marten River drawn just to his outside.
Who’s the fastest among them? Marten River has the highest TimeformUS early pace rating by a slim margin. He’s dropping off a fading ninth-place finish for $40,000, an open claiming level that’s no longer offered at Woodbine. Leading rider Kazushi Kimura takes over on the 6-year-old for trainer David Bell.
Combative finished third and sixth in his two outings at the meet against easier optional-starter company. Leo Salles inherits the mount on him from Stein. Salles won two races last Thursday. The blinkers are removed by trainer Willy Armata, who had a 6 percent strike rate first time off a claim during the last five years, with a return on investment of $1.60.
Drexler also entered the speedy miler Create Again, who has been freshened since ending up third in the slop on March 12 at Gulfstream.
Rounding out the field in the fourth race are longshots Swamp Souffle and Decimator, who had a successful winter campaign at Tampa and could be cycling up to a peak race in his third start off a break.
First post on Thursday is 5:05 p.m.