Galley Head worth a look on dropdown

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Galley Head is descending to an appealing spot while changing surfaces to the inner turf in Friday’s fifth race going 7 1/2 furlongs for open $25,000 claimers.

Sent out by hot trainer James Bentley Begg, Galley Head began her 2026 campaign by running fifth in a Feb. 26 starter/optional claimer at Gulfstream. A month later, the New York-bred switched from Tapeta to turf and defeated $20,000 claimers going 1 1/16 miles after mounting a wide rally.

Galley Head resurfaced May 3 at Woodbine, when she used her fitness advantage to clear the first allowance condition on the Tapeta with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure. She cut back from a route to seven furlongs most recently in a conditioned allowance/optional claimer, finishing an even fifth after running just off a live rail.

Rafael Hernandez takes over on Galley Head, and the meet’s second-leading rider was aboard for both of her victories here last fall. The 7-year-old, who has a 7 1/2-furlong inner turf triumph on her record, drew the outside post 7.

My Girl Sky, Zisisit, and O Wow are all dropping from a first-level allowance/optional claimer traveling 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf June 6.

The classy My Girl Sky captured the 2022 Thunder Bay Stakes here on the main turf for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies. She won the first open allowance condition in her 2025 season opener last August before tailing off in the fall and was a wide seventh in her June 6 comeback.

Romero Maragh will ride My Girl Sky for trainer Barbara Minshall, who has mediocre numbers second time off a layoff.

Zisisit had a productive winter stint at Turf Paradise, during which she took a one-mile allowance/optional claimer in front-running fashion with a 72 Beyer in March. Coming off a three-month freshening June 6, she tracked the pace before flattening out to fifth.

Keveh Nicholls will get a leg up from trainer Phil Hall on Zizisit, who has some positive inner turf experience. Hall was blanked with his first 28 starters at the meet while sending out nine placed runners.

O Wow was a fading ninth June 6 in her second start off the sidelines. Last year, she won 2 of 6 outings, including a one-mile inner turf allowance Sept. 7, after which she was claimed for $32,000 by trainer Sarah Ritchie.

Hall also will saddle Voice From Above, who wasn’t a factor in a pair of sprints on the Tapeta in May after getting the winter off.

English Jubilee is stepping up off a late-running third in a $25,000 turf route for nonwinners of three. Claimed for just $5,000 in late November by trainer Richard Morden, the daughter of English Channel beat $25,000 nonwinners-of-two opponents on the inner turf in September.

Rounding out the field is Flying Black, who hasn’t started since ending up second to Scat Girl in an Oct. 30 allowance/optional claimer that contained three next-out winners.