Gierkink's preview: Surface switch for Puntrooskie
Puntrooskie back on Polytrack
Puntrooskie (8-5) mounted a breath-taking wide rally to take the six-furlong Woodstock Stakes by five lengths with a 99 Beyer Speed Figure on April 20. There hasn’t been an appropriate Polytrack sprint for him since then until this second-level optional claimer, and it will be interesting to see if he can prevail after ending up fifth in back-to-back stakes.
Formulator Fact: Puntrooskie’s streaky trainer, Nick Gonzalez, has won at a 13 percent clip with turf to synthetic starters going from a route to a sprint over the past five years ($2.01 ROI).
Other contenders in the third include probable pacemaker Kitten Candy (2-1) and first-time gelding Jagger M (6-1).
Milwaukee Brew fillies should dominate feature
Three daughters of the hot Milwaukee Brew are the obvious players in the $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile test for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Flipcup (9-5) ships in from Saratoga off a determined victory in the restricted New York Oaks at Finger Lakes. The last time she ran here in the Nov. 24 South Ocean Stakes, she wound up third behind the dynamic duo of Lexie Lou and Paladin Bay. Her trainer, Bill Mott, hasn’t won a race at Woodbine since 2010.
Wild Catomine (8-5) won her first two starts over seven furlongs, including the Fury Stakes, before ending up second behind subsequent Queen’s Plate winner Lexie Lou in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. She was a tired fourth after participating in a speed duel with eventual winner Unspurned most recently, when favored in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes.
Sweater Weather (6-1) had a five-wide journey during her flat effort as the odds-on favorite in a June 29 allowance sprint. She romped in a weak allowance route May 23, before a narrow loss to the classy On Rainbow Bridge in the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes.
Odds and ends
Heavy rainfall and hail late on Friday afternoon could lead to the three turf races on the card being transferred to the Polytrack.
The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover heading into the nightcap is $102,900. Another carryover going into Sunday is probable.
Horse to Watch
Royal Greatness
Trainer: Ross Armata
Last race: Aug. 1, 2nd
Finish: 4th by 3 1/2
He lacked room while in the midst of his rally early in the stretch of a $10,000 claimer, and was arguably best in the seven-furlong event. He should be dangerous next-time out in his first start off the claim by a sharp conditioner.