Heart to Heart will use Toronto Cup as possible Breeders' Stakes prep
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Heart to Heart, who finished eighth in the $1,002,800 Queen’s Plate on July 6, will return to the turf when he faces five others Sunday in the $125,000 Toronto Cup for 3-year-olds.
Trainer Brian Lynch is happy with how Heart to Heart has been doing since the Plate and could use the Toronto Cup as a prep for the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown on Aug. 17.
“He came out of [the Queen’s Plate] in good order,” Lynch said. “It could very well set him up for the Toronto Cup.”
Heart to Heart was a dominant winner in his only start on turf in April at Keeneland, where he went gate to wire in a one-mile allowance and earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. Three horses from that field have come back to win since April, most notably Grade 3 Iowa Derby winner Jessica’s Star.
“It wasn’t a bad little field of horses,” Lynch said. “It ended up being a key race.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Heart to Heart. Trainer Brian Lynch is 18 for 76 (24 percent win rate and 49 percent in the money) with a $3.63 ROI over the past five years with all horses moving from synthetic to turf in route races.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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TORONTO CUP (RACE 6)
KEY CONTENDERS
HEART TO HEART (Last 3 Beyers: 63-84-92)
◗ Heart to Heart figures to be on the lead, but he’s managed only one third-place finish in four starts beyond a mile.
◗ Lynch has a 21 percent win rate from 115 starts with horses moving from synthetic to turf over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.97, according to DRF ’s Formulator.
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FLORIDA WON (Last 3 Beyers: 78-77-87)
◗ Florida Won rallied to be third in the Charlie Barley Stakes after making a four-wide move from off the pace.
◗ Trainer Mark Casse leads all Woodbine trainers with 10 stakes wins this season but has not won a turf stakes (0 for 18).
DUCHESS STAKES (RACE 8)
Zensational Bunny will put her undefeated record on Woodbine’s Polytrack on the line in the $125,000 Duchess Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. She comes into the race off a second-place finish in the Alywow Stakes on turf June 15.
“That was an experiment,” said Casse, who has entered four of the nine horses in the race, including Appreciating, Madly Truly, and Lacarolina. “I thought she ran really well, and she’s been training really well heading into this race. I would expect her to be tough.”
Zensational Bunny won the Star Shoot Stakes on the Woodbine Polytrack in April, earning a career-best 86 Beyer. She’ll be reunited Sunday with jockey Patrick Husbands, who was aboard for the Star Shoot win.
“She is a tough horse to ride, and that’s why [Husbands is] riding her,” Casse said. “He gets along really well with her.”
A couple of interesting invaders will face Zensational Bunny in the Duchess, including Pirate’s Trove and Hillhouse High.
KEY CONTENDERS
ZENSATIONAL BUNNY (Last 3 Beyers: 77-65-86)
◗ Zensational Bunny is 3 for 3 lifetime on Woodbine’s Polytrack, recording Beyers of 81, 82, and 86 in those races, including a win at seven furlongs in last season’s Glorious Song Stakes.
◗ Her outside post likely will force her to stalk the early pace, a tactic that she used effectively to win the Star Shoot.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Zensational Bunny. Trainer Mark Casse is 27 for 67 (40 percent win rate and 72 percent in the money, $1.95 ROI) with horses going from turf to synthetic in sprints at Woodbine when going off as the post-time favorite.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
PIRATE’S TROVE (Last Beyer: 92)
◗ Pirate’s Trove won her maiden by 12 1/4 lengths at Arlington Park and figures to be the early speed from the rail, a post position that has been the most effective by winning percentage in sprints on the main track (16 percent).
◗ Trainer Michael Stidham has clicked at 23 percent from 116 starts with shippers in non-graded stakes over the past five years, with an ROI of $1.53, according to DRF ’s Formulator.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Pirate's Trove. Trainer Michael Stidham is 2 for 29 with a $0.28 ROI over the past five years with horses making their second career start following a winning debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
HILLHOUSE HIGH (Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-78)
◗ Hillhouse High is another stalking threat who enters this race off an optional-claiming win at Belmont Park. She’s posted consistent speed figures on turf recently and now moves to the Polytrack.
◗ Trainer Chad Brown has won 23 percent of a limited sample of 39 starts with horses making their first start on synthetic over the past five years, with an ROI of $1.64.