Gatling Gun gets more ground in allowance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gatling Gun was a beaten favorite in his season opener, but that performance could set him up nicely for Friday’s featured fourth race for 3-year-old nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired types and $40,000 claimers at Woodbine.

A month after graduating in front-running style, Gatling Gun closed for third in the restricted Frost King Stakes on Nov. 21. Runner-up Sir for Sure would eventually find the mark in a two-turn maiden special over Gulfstream’s Tapeta in February and is on the Queen’s Plate trail.

After wintering in Ocala, Fla., Gatling Gun was the 7-10 favorite in a five-furlong allowance here April 17. He broke outward before stalking the early pace on the outside, then fought for the lead before flattening out to third while beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

Gatling Gun moves out to six furlongs on Friday with Patrick Husbands back in the saddle. Blinkers are added by owner-trainer Barbara Minshall, who has won at a 15 percent clip with first-time blinkers during the past five years with a return on investment of $1.62.

Gatling Gun might vie for the lead but is more likely to sit a stalking trip behind the speed drawn to the outside, namely Giant Teddy and Light the Lamp.

Giant Teddy wired maiden-special rivals in his lone juvenile start, which came going 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 28. He met older opposition in his comeback on May 1 and was on the engine before fading to seventh in the final sixteenth.

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Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride Giant Teddy for trainer Julia Carey. They combined to win with Verdejo on April 23.

Light the Lamp, who posted mixed results at 2, was razor-sharp off the layoff on opening day of the meet. He darted out to a clear lead and kept on going to win that five-furlong Ontario-sired maiden dash over the future maiden-special winner Uncle Joe. The 74 Beyer Speed Figure he received is the highest in this field, and it will be interesting to see how he handles what figures to be a more demanding pace scenario in this spot.

Rafael Hernandez retains the mount on Light the Lamp for trainer Don MacRae, who co-owns the son of Reload.

Chairman Bob was gelded in the off-season and can run well while fresh as evidenced by his first-out score in August. He hit the board in two restricted stakes in the fall, most notably a second in the Bull Page traveling a mile on the inner turf. Justin Stein gets the riding assignment from trainer Kevin Attard.

I’m a Chi Too earned his keep at 2 and could be regarded as a live longshot for the exotics. He was a wide sixth behind Gatling Gun in his comeback and has since worked twice for trainer Ryan Jones.