Gierkink's notebook: Youcan'tcatchme goes for Seaway Stakes repeat

Can Youcan’tcatchme win the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes for the second year in a row, or is the reigning Canadian champion female sprinter past her prime?

Youcan’tcatchme (8-1) didn’t show much in her first three appearances of the year, although one shouldn’t hold a lackluster effort on turf in the Grade 3 Royal North against her. She prefers to race up front, as does the classy comebacker Leigh Court, and might be a little faster than that rival.

Sam DiPasquale trains the 5-year-old Youcan’tcatchme, who drew well toward the outside in the seven-furlong Seaway.

“She’s not exactly the way she was last year going into this one,” DiPasquale said. “I might scratch her. I’m going to look at the form, and then decide the day of the race if we’re going to go or not. She’s given me two good workouts, both going a half, but she’s not as perky as she was when she was a 4-year-old.”

If the speed hooks up, the table could be set for Northern Passion (6-1), who’s turning back off a third in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron. She notched the seven-furlong Sweet Briar Too Stakes with a wide bid from off slow splits in her penultimate start.

Star Pearl (7-2), a Maryland shipper trained by Graham Motion, beat Pennsylvania-breds in a one-mile stakes over the Tapeta surface July 13 at Presque Isle. She should have a good outside-stalking trip under Emma-Jayne Wilson, whose two tallies Saturday included a stakes success.

Longshot prospects for exotic wagers include Aunt Els (15-1) and Mekong Delta (20-1).

Jackpot Hi 5 carryover building

The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover heading into the finale is $247,761. One could make a case for many of the 13 runners in the body of this seven-furlong turf allowance, from which Uncatchable Fire will be scratched in favor of Wednesday’s restricted Halton Stakes.

Saturdayatbernies (8-1) is coming off a troubled third in a six-furlong allowance. The rider switch to Eurico Da Silva is worth noting, and he should be good fit for the versatile 4-year-old, who’s won four of seven starts this year.

Go Bro (4-1) rallied widest to graduate in his return from a long layoff July 13, after making a splendid pre-race appearance. The 3-year-old subsequently finished a flat fourth after bobbling early in a 1 1/16-mile allowance and might welcome the move back to a long sprint here under Jesse Campbell.

Horse to watch

SPEED SEEKER
Trainer: Joan Scott
Last race: Aug. 23, 8th
Finish: 1st by 4 3/4

She had a very troubled trip on the grass before closing between the two leaders at the eighth pole en route to a comfortable score in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes. It was just her third career start, and the 3-year-old looks like a filly with a future.