Grey Stakes serves as Conquest Typhoon's tune-up for Breeders' Cup
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The improving Conquest Typhoon will prep for the Breeders’ Cup in Sunday’s Grade 3 Grey Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile Polytrack route for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
Conquest Typhoon has started three times for Conquest Stable and trainer Mark Casse. He was second to the more-experienced Seffeara after squandering the lead late when debuting in the restricted Clarendon Stakes on July 12.
Conquest Typhoon was bet down to 2-5 in a six-furlong maiden special weight race on turf Aug. 3. He went straight to the front and looked like a winner in midstretch before getting nailed on the wire by Passion for Action.
Conquest Typhoon graduated in style on turf Sept. 13 in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes, in which he rallied wide from off a tepid pace to win going away by 4 1/2 lengths. The Summer, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier, was contested over a mile around one turn. Casse said the Grey will give the colt some valuable two-turn experience in preparation for an upcoming Breeders’ Cup juvenile race at Santa Anita.
Grey Stakes, race 6
KEY CONTENDERS
Conquest Typhoon (Last 3 Beyers: 79-73-62)
◗ This $330,000 Keeneland yearling purchase by Stormy Atlantic possesses sufficient stamina for the task at hand.
Imperial Dream (Last 3 Beyers: 47-83-76)
◗ Trainer Nick Gonzalez said the son of Stormy Atlantic couldn’t keep up over yielding ground when seventh under Eurico Rosa Da Silva in the Summer.
“Eurico said it was like two different turf courses that day,” Gonzalez said. “He was going fine down the backside, but turning for home, he said [Imperial Dream] hit a soft spot and lost his action.”
He won both of his Polytrack sprints convincingly, including the Vandal Stakes. He is out of the stakes-winning router Nicki Knew, and Gonzalez is optimistic that two turns is within his range.
“He’s a rateable horse,” Gonzalez said. “He trains like he can go [long]. We’ll see if he doesn’t get too aggressive the first part.”
International Star (Last 3 Beyers: 75-63-73)
◗ Trainer Mike Maker supplemented this promising shipper off a wide third-place finish in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes on grass at Saratoga.
Hollywood Critic (Beyer: 41)
◗ Trainer Barb Minshall is quite high on this son of Blame, who wound up third when he debuted in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race Sept. 7.
“Right from the beginning, he’s trained very well here,” Minshall said. “He wants to go long, 100 percent. He’s a nice-sized, strong colt.”