Gierkink's preview: Boisterous favored in Durham Cup

Saturday, Oct. 4 preview

Boisterous (7-5) ships in from Saratoga for the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes, which will be his first Polytrack start since he ran second to Successful Dan in the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland in 2013. The turf expert has competed exclusively in Grade 1 and Grade 2 stakes, since notching an April 5 allowance at Keeneland. His best showing in those added-money events was third behind Wise Dan and Seek Again in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Boisterous’s high-profile trainer, Todd Pletcher, is 0 for 11 in graded stakes at Woodbine over the past three years. Going back five years, he’s 4 for 21 (19 percent) in that category, with a return on investment of $1.09.

There is a dearth of speed in the six-horse field. Either Alpha Bettor or Are You Kidding Me figure to lead the way in the nine-furlong route, in which the former finished second last year after pressing a lively pace.

Alpha Bettor (4-1) is competing without blinkers for the first time, off a wide fourth in the six and a half-furlong Bold Venture Stakes. He was boxed in along the rail in the stretch before finishing a frustrated sixth as the favorite traveling a mile and a sixteenth in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes Aug. 3.

Are You Kidding Me (8-1) has been idle since he faded to fifth after attending the pace in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes on the grass here June 22. The 4-year-old has been working up a storm for Hall-of-Fame trainer Roger Attfield, who’s had a quiet meet, with 10 wins from 100 starters.

His Race to Win (2-1) never fired over good turf in last month’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. He mounted an eye-catching wide rally form sixth and last to win the slow-paced Seagram Cup by daylight with a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fifth Business a Pick 4 key

Regardless of the surface, Fifth Business (3-1) should be a formidable foe in the fifth, a seven-furlong maiden special scheduled for the grass. (Heavy rain on Friday may lead to a surface change for all three of Saturday’s turf events).

Fifth Business barely lost his Aug. 4 debut, in a five-furlong maiden dash for 2-year-olds, after a stretch battle with Totally Drenched. About two weeks later, he closed belatedly for third in a seven-furlong maiden special on the lawn, from which the top two finishers exited to run second and third in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes.

Fifth Business has worked regularly leading up to this engagement for trainer Ian Howard, who has excelled with short-term comebackers.

First-timers worth considering in the fifth include Scorch (9-2), who is a son of Candy Ride and the precocious sprinter Nashinda; and Native Forest (15-1), a Badge of Silver colt sent out by trainer Liz Charalambous, who is a remarkable 5 for 9 at the meet.

Jackpot Hi 5 carryover building

The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover heading into the finale is $62,025. The Brian Lynch-trained comebackers Dylan Ward (5-2) and Cuppa Joe (6-1) both have a chance in the maiden special for 3-year-olds and up, which is scheduled for a mile on the turf.