Half to Strut the Course makes stakes debut in Jammed Lovely Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Strut the Course, an impressive winner of last Saturday’s Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes, could run back in the Grade 2 Falls City on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Barb Minshall.

Meanwhile, Minshall will run Strut the Course’s half-sister Bambarra Bold on Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Jammed Lovely Stakes, a seven-furlong test for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Bambarra Bold won three consecutive Ontario-sired sprints, a streak that was capped with an authoritative score in a seven-furlong optional claimer Sept. 17. Sixteen days later, however, she was a well-beaten third in an open allowance.

Minshall said there were legitimate excuses for her last subpar performance.

“I think the main thing is I ran her back a little quick,” Minshall said. “The race was sitting there. She wasn’t sick after, but she had some mucus. She’s trained really well from that. She’s had a little break and a couple of breezes.”

The Jammed Lovely is one of two stakes on Saturday’s excellent 10-race card, along with the $125,000 Frost King.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Bambarra Bold (Last 3 Beyers: 63-74-65)

◗ Expect her to rebound off her last flat effort, but she has never faced this caliber of competition, as this is her stakes debut.

Aragorn Ami (Last 3 Beyers: 76-54-69)

◗ She looked like a serious prospect for the Woodbine Oaks after capturing the Feb. 1 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn, but then she missed the first half of the meet. Her comeback has been disappointing, but she showed signs of life when third against older females in a second-level optional claimer Oct. 19.

Unspurned (Last 3 Beyers: 78-80-81)

◗ The Bison City Stakes winner nearly got the money when she cut back to a sprint in the Oct. 18 Ruling Angel Stakes, in which the sharp shipper Cactus Kris caught her in deep stretch.

Skylander Girl (Last 3 Beyers: 84-50-80)

◗ After performing well in a series of stakes, she broke through for her first win of the year last time out in a second-level optional claimer on grass.

Tiller has two in Frost King

Trainer Bob Tiller sends out Goodoldhockeygame and Three Ring Circus in the Frost King, a seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds.

Goodoldhockeygame is unbeaten in two starts, including the six-furlong Bull Page Stakes, and shouldn’t mind stretching out a little.

“He’s been doing very well,” Tiller said. “We expect a big one from him.”

After narrowly losing his debut in a fast, restricted dash, Three Ring Circus graduated in open maiden special company Oct. 19.

Also in the nine-horse field are Phil’s Cocktail, the winner of the Simcoe Stakes in August, and Seffeara, the 4 1/2-furlong Polytrack record holder.