Gypsy Ring formidable on drop from stakes to allowance company

ETOBICOKE, Ontario– Gypsy Ring drops into a first-level allowance on Friday at Woodbine, and should be a formidable opponent in the seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

Gypsy Ring, a 4-year-old owned and trained by Paul Buttigieg, has had a fruitful meet. He captured back-to-back allowances restricted to Ontario-breds in May, earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure on each occasion.

Gypsy Ring finished second in a stakes for the second time June 9 in the six-furlong New Providence, while leaving favored Grazettes Landing in his wake. He was awarded a 100 Beyer in that event for Ontario-breds.

Gypsy Ring had no shot running from off a slow pace over a speed-favoring track in a July 4 allowance, and wound up a distant seventh. He rebounded nicely Aug. 4 in the 6 1/2-furlong Shepperton Stakes, in which he finished a close second to a peaking Grazettes Landing.

Chantal Sutherland, who was aboard for Gypsy Ring’s maiden victory, inherits the mount from the injured Emma Wilson.

Ad Infinitum is making his local debut for trainer Bill Mott, following a wide ninth-place finish in a first-level turf allowance at Saratoga. He was a non-factor in his lone previous race on a synthetic track last December at Santa Anita.

Bug’s Boy has been competitive at the first allowance level since his game score in a May 9 allowance for Ontario-sired stock. A slow pace hindered his chances most recently, when he was a closing fourth on the grass, and the speed bias gave Bug’s Boy a valid excuse when he finished up the track July 4.

Steve Bahen will ride Bug’s Boy for trainer John LeBlanc Jr., a successful duo at this stand.

Richard Dos Ramos was named on both halves of the John and Jessica Pastorek-owned entry of Private Meeting and Lady’s First Cat.

Private Meeting set fast fractions over the portion of the July 18 card that was speed-favoring, in an authoritative win over $20,000 conditioned claimers.

Lady’s First Cat is shortening up from a series of routes after finishing third in each of his last three races.

Regally Ready should be prominent from the outset. He benefited from a speed bias and a moderate pace in his easy maiden triumph July 18.

Riding the River is moving up in company off a flat third-place finish in an allowance for 3-year-olds.