Gierkink's preview: Conquest Typhoon tries to graduate

Sunday, Sept. 7, preview

Conquest Typhoon is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the $125,000 Swynford Stakes off back-to-back seconds in the Clarendon Stakes and a quality maiden special weight race. Trainer Mark Casse also entered maiden winner Conquest Boogaloo (4-1) but probably won’t run both horses in the seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds.

A red-hot Patrick Husbands was named on both Conquest Stable runners. After scoring thrice on Saturday, Husbands has 101 wins at the meet and is tied atop the jockeys’ standings with Luis Contreras.

There are three other maidens in the six-horse field, including George McFly (8-1), who could be the spoiler off a wide fourth-place finish in a seven-furlong maiden event on the grass. The handsome son of Sharp Humor worked five-eighths in 1:00.60 on the Polytrack on Aug. 30 for trainer Dave Cotey, who won the 2008 Swynford with Mine That Bird.

Ryan no longer a bug

With her apprentice allowance ending Saturday, Sheen Ryan becomes a journeyman Sunday. She’s had a productive campaign this year, winning 37 races, 31 of which were at Woodbine, and is the leading candidate for the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top apprentice.

Nick Webb seems the most likely to fill the void left in the apprentice ranks. The other local bugs are Katy Morrison and Erika Smilovsky.

Jackpot Hi 5 carryover $369,143

Because of all the rain Saturday morning, it’s unclear if the 10th race will go as scheduled on the turf. If it does, Simply Classic (4-1) should be used prominently in the upper rungs of Jackpot Hi 5 tickets off a troubled fifth in another $50,000 maiden route Aug. 9. He was previously second in his turf debut in a seven-furlong maiden special for Malcolm Pierce, Woodbine’s top trainer by win percentage on grass this year.

Skydance (8-1), reportedly a first-time gelding, is starting for just the second time for leading trainer Casse. In his March 8 debut on the Gulfstream turf, Skydance was a non-threatening seventh behind the future stakes performers Picozza and V. E. Day, who won the Grade 1 Travers.

FORMULATOR FACT: Casse is 1 for 6 with six-month-plus comebackers dropping from maiden special to maiden-claiming company on turf over the past five years ($1.20 return on investment). Four of those runners made the board.

Horse to watch

STORMY CONNECTION
Trainer: Bev Chubb
Last race: Sept. 5, 8th
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 54
He closed belatedly on the outside from well back when returning from a 10-month layoff in a five-furlong maiden special for Ontario-sired stock. The handsome 5-year-old ran his best race last year going three-quarters and could finally break through next time if he gets to stretch out to either six or seven furlongs.