Gierkink's preview: All in the family for Owens pair

Trainer Steve Owens has the opportunity to sweep both $125,000 Ontario-sired stakes here Saturday, with the speedy half-siblings Seffeara and Zazinga.

Seffeara is the 6-5 morning line favorite in the Bull Page, a six-furlong dash for male juveniles. He lowered the 4 1/2-furlong track record while romping at first asking, and then took the 5 1/2-furlong Clarendon Stakes over future Grade 2 Summer Stakes winner Conquest Typhoon, who is Breeders’ Cup bound.

Seffeara battled with eventual winner Imperial Dream during a torrid early pace en route to finishing second in the six-furlong Vandal Stakes Aug. 16.

“Our horse ran really well,” Owens said. “(Imperial Dream) ran his eyeballs out. Maybe we should have stayed with him, because when he took a deep breath around the turn, (Imperial Dream) took off on him, and then we chased him.”

Since the Vandal, Seffeara has worked a half-mile over a sloppy training track in 49.40; five-eighths in 1:01 on the Polytrack; and then five-eighths around the cones on the turf training course in 1:03.60.

“He was a little tired after his last race, which was expected because of how he ran,” Owens said. “I took my time with him, regrouped and looked for an easier spot. I worked him on the turf, just to change his training pattern up. I’ve done all sorts of different things with him. He’s had six weeks off between races, and should be going over there pretty good on Saturday.”

Other Bull Page contenders include Simcoe Stakes winner Phil’s Cocktail (6-1) and Goodoldhockeygame (5-2).

Zazinga (6-1) could shake loose on the lead in the La Prevoyante, a one-mile turf route for 3-year-old fillies. She went too fast before fading to third vs. older Ontario-sired opponents in a recent nine-furlong allowance won by Primordia, who had just finished a close third in the Victoriana Stakes.

Regal Conqueror (even-money) seems vulnerable off a distant seventh in the 10-furlong Wonder Where Stakes. When I talked to trainer Darwin Banach on entry day, he didn’t seem all that enthused about her, and she might not be able to duplicate her victory in the one-mile Ontario Damsel Stakes in July.

Other possibilities include the Colebrook Farm stablemates Cantbeatthestory (4-1) and Call Her Karma (10-1), who is a half-sister to the 2011 La Prevoyante winner, Reconnect. Their dam produced another turf stakes winner, Seen It All Before, so Call Her Karma has a license to improve in her turf debut.

Two more turf opportunities

Aside from the La Prevoyante, there are two other turf races on the card. Following a week of sunny weather, the course will be firm.

Tiz Ro is the tepid 3-1 choice in the seventh, a first-level allowance for females going nine furlongs. Her turf record is mediocre, and there others in the field with a chance to do some damage at a better price, including Attainment (4-1) and Fancy Ribbons (12-1).

Crushin Hard is the deserving 3-1 favorite in the 10th, a nine-furlong route for $40,000 claimers. He’s dropping off a prominent fifth in a slow-paced optional claimer, and can be placed anywhere in a race. Sheena Ryan will ride him again for trainer Ian Black, who sent the gelding out to work five-eighths twice in recent weeks.

The versatile but inconsistent Turkish (9-2) had everything his own way on an easy lead while capturing a recent non-winners-of-three combo race for $40,000 claimers and Ontario-sired allowance stock.