Gierkink's preview: DePaulo loaded up for Sunday card

Trainer Mike DePaulo has a contender in both turf stakes on the card. He’ll saddle Passion for Action in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer and Pender Harbour in the $125,000 Bunty Lawless.

Passion for Action (5-2) narrowly lost to the favored Conquest Tsunami in the seven-furlong allowance prep for the Summer Stakes but missed the Grade 2 Summer itself a month ago due to a virus.

“A mile and a sixteenth is a concern after some time off, but he seems very rateable,” DePaulo said.

Pender Harbour (9-5) will try to win the Bunty Lawless, a one-mile Ontario-sired race, for the third time. The durable millionaire is nearing the end of his successful 6-year-old season, during which he’s competed strictly on the Polytrack. He has won 3 of 8 turf starts for earnings in excess of $500,000 and can handle some give in the ground.

DePaulo sends out one other runner on the card, Platinum Glory, who will try to win his maiden off an extended layoff as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the third.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: DePaulo has a 20 percent strike-rate with six-month-plus comebackers over the past five years with a return on investment of $3.41. He is 1 for 7 (14 percent) with 2-year-olds returning from a 45-day-plus break during that same time with an ROI of $0.58.

Pretty Two Faced vulnerable?

There’s no doubt that Pretty Too Faced has improved dramatically this year for owner-trainer Emily Walker, who claimed her for a bargain $10,000 last October. She has banked $70,547 at the meet, during a busy nine-race campaign. Off a distant fifth in the Sept. 28 Classy ‘n Smart Stakes, she’s the class of the ninth race but isn’t worth the risk at a short price because of the quick comeback.

Viable alternatives in the Ontario-sired $40,000 non-winners of three claimer include Bourneville (6-1), who’s sent out by the hot Sam DiPasquale barn, and Mauna Kea (7-2) who lost her last race by a nose after missing the break.

Horse to watch

SORORITY MISS
Trainer: Krista Cole
Last race: Oct. 10, 9th
Finish: 3rd by 5 3/4
Beyer: 32

She was carried wide on the first turn by a loose horse, then awaited room on the far turn before closing belatedly in an $8,000 maiden claimer. She was previously ineffective in Ontario-sired maiden special-weight company and appears to have found her proper place in the scheme of things.