Full Mast, Smokem Kitten sharp entering King Edward
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The shippers Full Mast and Smokem Kitten are both coming off fast victories and are among the contenders in Saturday’s $200,000 King Edward, a one-mile stakes scheduled for lane 1 on turf at Woodbine.
Full Mast rallied quite wide to land his North American debut in a third-level allowance going seven furlongs at Belmont Park on June 5. His time of 1:20.37 translated to a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
Smokem Kitten has been freshened since April 30, when he led throughout the Grade 3 Miami Mile at Gulfstream Park to narrowly beat Middleburg, who came back to take the Grade 3 Red Bank at Monmouth Park. Smokem Kitten got a 98 Beyer for covering the distance in 1:33.01.
The Grade 2 King Edward heads a 10-race card that also includes the $125,000 Passing Mood Stakes, a seven-furlong turf sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
The Passing Mood (race 6) is the stakes debut for the unbeaten Sugar Jones, who won her two starts in Ontario-sired allowance and maiden company by a combined seven lengths. The race is a crapshoot since none of the nine entrants has competed on grass, and Sugar Jones could go favored under Luis Contreras, who worked the daughter of the good turf sire Old Forester five-eighths in 1:01.40 on Tapeta last Sunday.
King Edward, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Full Mast, by Mizzen Mast
Last Beyer: 101
◗ The Bill Mott-trained 4-year-old was a solid Group 3 performer in France, where he was conditioned by Christiane Head-Maarek.
Smokem Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy
Last 3 Beyers: 98-95-79
◗ The Mike Maker-trained 4-year-old has made a favorable appearance in the mornings since shipping to Woodbine prior to a solid five-furlong breeze in 1:00.80 on Tapeta last Sunday.
Tower of Texas, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 95-101-98
◗ Last year’s King Edward winner has been idle since a seventh-place finish Sept. 13 in the Woodbine Mile. Trainer Roger Attfield said he had planned on a winter campaign that included the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream before the gelding was injured.
“He got hurt in his stall before the Canadian Turf, and it’s taken me this long to get him back,” he said.
Commute, by Hold Me Back
Last 3 Beyers: 90-99-97
◗ He won his penultimate start in a seven-furlong optional claimer at Belmont before finishing four lengths back in eighth there in the Grade 3 Jaipur.
“My question when we went into [the Jaipur] was is six furlongs too short?” trainer Mark Casse said. “I thought he ran a credible race. I think the mile is a little bit better for him. His seven-eighths race was very good.”