Gierkink's preview: Play the King a key prep for Woodbine Mile

The Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, an important tuneup for next month’s Woodbine Mile, came up very tough. Last year’s gate-to-wire winner, Dimension, is 8-1 on the line and doesn’t appear to have much of a chance in the seven-furlong turf sprint, which contains a lot of speed.

Winning Prize (2-1) ships in from Southern California for Neil Drysdale, who’s won the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile more than any other trainer. Winning Prize prefers to race near the lead and may have his work cut out for him after breaking from the outside (post 10) under Victor Espinoza. The Grade 1 winner breezed a leisurely three-quarters on the grass here last weekend and doesn’t appear to be cranked up for this.

Excaper (6-1) and Something Extra (3-1) both prefer the front end, but the latter has won from off the pace in the past, albeit at a shorter distance. Don’t be surprised if Something Extra employs a stalking style.

Kaigun (4-1) is shortening up off a flat fifth going 11 furlongs in the Grade 1 United Nations. Seven-eighths is a little short for him, but it’s a suitable distance for his stablemate, Lockout, who’s in with a chance at 15-1.

My other longshot play is the Fort Erie-based Awesome Eclipse (20-1), who’s evolved into a productive closing sprinter. He broke slowly before racing wide throughout to finish fourth in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes July 6, when he was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by victorious Something Extra.

Lexie Lou takes to the turf

The Queen’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks winner Lexie Lou competes on the grass for the first time in the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara. She is the deserving even-money favorite under Patrick Husbands, who’s been serving a suspension but has an exemption to ride in today’s two stakes. Lexie Lou has worked well on the grass and possesses breeding for the surface.

Hantaloop (6-1) is another talented filly starting on turf for the first time. The large daughter of Giant’s Causeway is out of a stakes-placed grasser and has worked encouragingly over the turf training course.

Hantaloop is one of three entrants sent out by trainer Roger Attfield, who has captured the Wonder Where four times. The others are the Grade 2 Natalma winner Llanarmon (8-1), who’s adding blinkers off a dull effort in the Ontario Damsel Stakes, and the 20-1 maiden Chique to Chique.

If you want a proven grasser who’s bred to stay the 10-furlong distance, Regal Conqueror (3-1) fits the bill. She prevailed in the one-mile Ontario Damsel after a stalking trip in her first grass outing July 19. Her sire, Sky Conqueror, won the Grade 2 Northern Dancer twice over 1 1/2 miles, and her dam notched the Grade 2 Canadian twice over nine furlongs.

Odds and ends

** Leading rider Luis Contreras begins a three-day suspension Sunday, which runs through Friday.

** The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover heading into Sunday’s nightcap is $162,883.

** Teresa’s Pride and Mauna Kea will be scratched from the seventh race in favor of Wednesday’s fourth race. Norquay was cross-entered in the seventh and in a restricted stakes Sunday at Presque Isle Downs.

Horse to watch

MUTTAK BABY
Trainer: Mike Mattine
Last race: Aug. 8, 2nd
Finish: 3rd by 6
Beyer: 40

She was blocked behind rivals along the inside on the turn and in the stretch over an outside-biased track, before making up some ground when she got some class relief in a $16,000 claiming route.