Heart to Heart may be lone speed in Canadian Turf

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Some races are more straightforward than others – and the Canadian Turf sure seems to set up in predictable fashion.

Heart to Heart, a habitual front-runner, will show heels for as long as he can when facing eight other older horses in the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Turf, which will be run over a mile Saturday on the Gulfstream Park turf.

“With him, there are no secrets,” said Julien Leparoux, the regular rider of Heart to Heart, a 6-year-old horse who tipped past the $1 million earnings mark in his last start. “I just hope he breaks good and can be on the lead easy.”

Heart to Heart, trained by Brian Lynch, took stout midrace pressure in his last start, the Fort Lauderdale, and gave ground grudgingly in the final furlong, finishing fourth while beaten only a length for all the money. Hanging tough down the lane has become a regular occurrence for Heart to Heart, whose 26 career starts have resulted in 11 wins.

As for the Canadian Turf, there appears to be a lack of challenging speed – unless the obvious unknown in the field, Projected, makes his presence felt at a key point.

A 5-year-old Juddmonte Farms homebred, Projected has a lot of “firsts” going Saturday: his first start in 18 months, first in North America, first as a gelding, first on the diuretic Lasix, and first with trainer Chad Brown, who said he is “very excited to get started with him. He’s a really nice horse.”

Outside possibilities include Bondurant, a 4-year-old who stands to benefit from a recent start in Tampa; Giant Run, the winner of the restricted Tropical Park Derby last out; and Interpol, a Grade 1 winner making his first start since October 2015 after having been transferred into the care of trainer Jimmy Toner.

◗ The filly-and-mare counterpart to the Canadian Turf is the only ungraded race among the nine stakes here Saturday – although you sure wouldn’t know it by the entries. Grade 1 winners Catch a Glimpse and Celestine will be returning to action amid a field of nine in the $100,000 Sand Springs, also set for a mile on turf.

“She’s training great, and we’ve got her ready to go,” said Mark Casse, who trains Catch a Glimpse. “I’m excited about having her back.”

Celestine, previously trained by Bill Mott, was purchased for $2.55 million at the Keeneland November sale by Moyglare Stud and turned over to Christophe Clement. The 5-year-old Celestine shows a steady work slate at Payson Park.

Sand Springs, Race 6

KEY CONTENDERS

Catch a Glimpse, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 93-81-97

◗ After winning her last three starts at 2, ending with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, this speedy filly ran off five more to start her 3-year-old season before it took a giant effort from Time and Motion to snap the streak in the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga.

Celestine, by Scat Daddy

Last 3 Beyers: 85-97-107

◗ That 107 Beyer Speed Figure three starts back was earned in a memorable victory on the Belmont Stakes undercard in which she blew off the doors in the Grade 1 Just a Game, a race that easily remains her benchmark.

Canadian Turf, Race 11

KEY CONTENDERS

Heart to Heart, by English Channel

Last 3 Beyers: 100-97-97

◗ Clearly, the early pace is critical in determining how the rest of his races go, as he often shows himself to be uncatchable when permitted to “walk the dog” – as he did in winning the 2016 Canadian Turf as an odds-on favorite.

Projected, by Showcasing

First North American start

◗ First or second in eight of his 11 starts in France for legendary trainer Andre Fabre, this newcomer had six works last spring at Saratoga for Brown, then 11 more at Palm Meadows after resuming training in the fall.