Gierkink's preview: Russian Jewel's turf debut

Sunday, Sept. 28, preview

The improving 3-year-old filly Russian Jewel (8-1) will meet second-level optional-claiming company over seven furlongs in her first turf start in the nightcap. She was recently second in the six-furlong Etobicoke Stakes behind the heavily favored shipper Pirate’s Trove, who has yet to lose.

Russian Jewel is by the successful grass sire Wildcat Heir, but there’s not much turf breeding in her immediate family. Leading rider Patrick Husbands takes over for trainer Sid Attard, and they have been a productive combo in recent years.

Skylander Girl (3-1) is the tepid favorite off a trio of runner-up placings in restricted stakes company during the summer. Her last poor performance over good turf in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes is a throwout, but she’s winless in eight starts this year and isn’t worth backing at a chalky price.

Dauphine Russe (6-1) ships in from Saratoga following a layoff that began after she captured a first-level allowance sprint over Keeneland’s Polytrack in April.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Dauphine Russe’s high-profile New York trainer, Chad Brown, is 2 for 24 (8 percent) at Woodbine during the last five years, with a return on investment of 65 cents.

Other contenders in this wide-open 10th race include Blessed One (4-1) and Big Brown Brookski (10-1).

Lane 4 will be used on a course that should be quite firm and kind to speed.

Classy ‘n Smart Stakes

Moonlit Beauty (4-1) is seeking her third straight win in the Classy ‘n Smart Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile test for Ontario-sired females in which she finished second in 2011. Her stiffest competition figures to come from archrivals Strut the Course and Silent Star, along with I’m a Kittyhawk.

Strut the Course (2-1) is the logical favorite off an impressive score in a second-level optional claimer on grass. She’s arguably at her best on Polytrack, over which she rallied to win a slow-paced allowance July 4, when she put up a career-high 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

The morning-line price of 6-1 on Silent Star seems too high. She’s coming off a wide third in the aforementioned allowance behind Strut the Course, whom she upset while capturing the July 30 Victoriana Stakes. Silent Star narrowly lost her last Polytrack outing, traveling nine furlongs in a June 27 optional claimer for non-winners of three.

Pipers Future figures to be much higher than her 3-1 quote. A three-wide trip over an inside-favoring track worked against her while aiding Moonlit Beauty when they finished first and third in an open allowance for Ontario-sired females Aug. 30.

I’m a Kittyhawk (8-1) benefited from a hot pace and an inside bias last time when she took the restricted Algoma Stakes over the talented 3-year-olds Skylander Girl and Sweater Weather, who returned to beat open company in the La Lorgnette Stakes.

Horse to watch

Dig Alittle Deeper
Trainer: Scott Fairlie
Last race: Sept. 26, 6th
Finish: 2nd by 1 1 1/2
Beyer: 66
After breaking from post 1 in an $8,000 route, he went four wide on the first turn before closing six wide to barely get second as the favorite. According to Trakus, he ran 52 feet farther than the three-wide winner. He was scooped up then by a trainer who can move one up off the claim.