Everybody trying to cash in during closing week

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Anything goes during the waning days of the marathon Woodbine meet, which is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.

Horses will run back on short rest, some successfully, as their connections seek winter money. Many runners will plunge in value, while others jump up in class for connections searching for one last spot before heading to the farm. Horses who struggled during the hot summer could finish off the meet on a high note in the cooler weather. Longtime maidens can graduate through attrition, and other win-shy types are eligible to post overdue victories.

Ima Daredevil and Sparkle Sammy are both running back in a week in Thursday’s sixth race, a starter-optional claimer for fillies and mares. Ima Daredevil is cutting back from seven furlongs to six off a wide second-place finish. That was her third start off a $5,000 claim by trainer Phil Hall, who is 3 for 5 in-the-money with 1- to 7-day comebackers over the past five years.

Sparkle Sammy pressed the pace before weakening to fourth last Thursday and has other speed to contend with again here in the form of Veery and the dropping My Final Trick. The race sets up for Ima Daredevil or Valley Girl if the track is playing fair. Valley Girl peaked in the summer during a three-race win streak, however, and might be over the top.

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Chelsea Dagger finished third in his last Tapeta try on Sept. 23 against $25,000 nonwinners-of-two opposition, and could be taking an edge in the first race Thursday, for $15,000 nonwinners of two. He wasn’t beaten all that far most recently when sixth on the inner turf. Trainer Josie Carroll has solid numbers going turf to synth, and a red-hot Sahin Civaci picks up the mount on the son of Kantharos.

Rookie Radar and Ammunition are viable alternatives to Chelsea Dagger for those looking for a square-priced contender.

Rookie Radar raced wide in seventh before ending up fifth on a track that favored inside and speed horses on Nov. 18, after which he changed trainers to Abraham Katryan. The improving apprentice Amanda Vandermeersch should have him forwardly placed in the six-furlong sprint.

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Ammunition is winless since beating $25,000 maidens in the fall of 2019, while competing predominantly against $25,000 nonwinners-of-two types. He’s been freshened since a flat effort behind the next-out winner Victorious Wave on Sept. 23 and has been working right along for trainer Beverly Chubb.

Chubb is having a career year and has been scoring at an impressive 33 percent clip with 61- to180-day layoff runners. Her go-to rider is Juan Crawford, who is also having a breakout season and retains the mount.

In the fifth, the 1-for-28 Delightful Dreamer should be among the favorites on the drop to $5,000. The Darren Glennon-trained 5-year-old is running back 12 days after a closing third on a speed-favoring track vs. $10,000 nonwinners-of-two claimers.

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