Gierkink's preview: Two stakes on tap for Sunday card

Excaper speed of King Edward

Excaper, who is 2 for 2 this year since undergoing successful throat surgery, will try to keep rolling in the one-mile King Edward Stakes on the turf. His newfound tactical speed makes him the one to fear most, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make all the running under a new rider, Eurico Da Silva.

Why has Da Silva inherited the mount from Justin Stein, who rode Excaper to victory three weeks ago in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup? Excaper’s trainer, Ian Black, said Stein had a commitment to the reigning Canadian champion sprinter Phil’s Dream for the race, but Phil’s Dream ended up in an overnight stakes Saturday, which he won after it was life and death to fill.

Stein has landed on the longshot Are You Kidding Me in the $200,000 King Edward. The Grade 2 fixture has lured six others, including the Grade 2 Dixie winner Utley, who was supplemented for $4,000 by trainer Jonathan Sheppard.

Only 4 in the Victoria Park

Yet another tiny field for the $125,000 Victoria Park Stakes, a nine-furlong route for 3-year-olds, which should have been scrapped years ago. Wisely, it’s carded as race three to leave it out of both pick fours.

Conquest Top Gun will be favored off his front-running victory by disqualification in the May 25 Marine Stakes. He could control early proceedings again, but a stalking trip also is possible after breaking from the outside post if somebody else is bent on making the early lead.

He is owned by Conquest Stable, which won Saturday’s Victoria Stakes with the promising 2-year-old Conquest Tsunami. Conquest Stable is the nom de plume of affluent American owners Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell, who were in town for the Victoria. You couldn’t blame them if they watch the Victoria Park from the winner’s circle.

Genuine Flare has won two in a row on the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs, including a 1 1/16-mile allowance in which he earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. Presque Isle shippers have had limited success here in the past.

The two longshots in the lineup, Tulio’s Brew and Keen Gizmo, were each supplemented for $2,500. Tulio’s Brew, who is eligible for the July 6 Queen’s Plate, competes for a hefty $200,000 pot because the son of Milwaukee Brew is Ontario-bred and Ontario-sired.

Horses to watch

TRUE EXECUTIVE
Trainer: Paul Buttigieg
Last race: June 21, 3rd
Finish: 3rd by 1 3/4

The 5-year-old had been idle for 10 months when he checked in third behind his champion stablemate, Phil’s Dream, and graded stakes winner Go Blue Or Go Home in the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes. He should be much fitter for the experience.

VIRREINA
Trainer: Phil Gracey
Last race: June 21, 9th
Finish: 2nd by 4 1/4

This 3-year-old filly took to the turf like a duck to water in an Ontario-sired allowance sprint in which she rallied wide from the far back to finish a clear second behind the lightly raced stakes winner Executive Allure.