Forester's Fortune set for peak effort in Elgin Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Forester’s Fortune should be primed for a peak performance in Sunday’s $135,000 Elgin Stakes at Woodbine, according to trainer Rodney Barrow.

The new-look Elgin is one of four Canadian-bred stakes on Sunday’s card for graduates of Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society yearling sales, along with the $135,000 Algoma for 3-year-old fillies, the $250,000 Simcoe for male 2-year-olds, and the $250,000 Muskoka for 2-year-old fillies.

The Elgin was previously for 3-year-olds and up going long, but Forester’s Fortune should be favored in the now seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds. He won his first two Tapeta starts at the meet, in a pair of five-furlong sprints for Ontario-sired stock, and is coming off a close second on short rest in the six-furlong Greenwood Stakes on the grass.

“He was only 85 percent for his last race because he wasn’t prepared for it,” Barrow said. “By the time for this race, he’ll be 100 percent. The seven furlongs might be a little bit too long, but in this company, he’ll be okay.”

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Speedy Moonlite is the other obvious contender in the Elgin. Benlion and Grazely were supplemented, boosting the field size to 12.

The seven-furlong Algoma could feature a front-end confrontation between Marjorie’s Dream and Silent Causeway.

Marjorie’s Dream crushed Ontario-sired maidens by eight lengths with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure on Aug. 8. Silent Causeway, who also was a blowout maiden winner in June, is coming off a nose loss in a 6 1/2-furlong Ontario-sired allowance in her first start with Lasix.

Wake Up Maggie and Queen’s Speed were both supplemented to the Algoma, which drew 10.

Debut winners Dragon’s Brew and All Canadian will line up against eight others in the 6 1/2-furlong Simcoe.

Trainer Robert Tiller is high on Dragon’s Brew, who rallied from seventh to capture an open six-furlong maiden special Aug. 9.

“I always liked him, or I wouldn’t have run him in an open race,” Tiller said. “He could have run Ontario-sired. He’s a gutsy little guy. He came out of the race well.”

After graduating July 5, All Canadian finished a troubled fifth behind stablemate Ready to Repeat in the Victoria Stakes.

First-time starter Stephen, a fast-working son of leading second-crop sire Constitution, also is in the 10-horse Simcoe.

Flawless Pink, Silent Mamba, and Howmuchistoomuch are the only winners among a group of 10 in the 6 1/2-furlong Muskoka.

Flawless Pink came from ninth to land her five-furlong opener against Ontario-sired maidens on July 25 for trainer Liz Elder.

Silent Mamba showed little in the My Dear Stakes after thumping Ontario-sired maidens at first asking July 4.

The Alberta-bred Howmuchistoomuch won a two-furlong maiden special in a time of 21.19 seconds in her June 28 debut on the dirt at Prairie Meadows.