Hollinger giving turf a shot
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hollinger will try to move his record to 3 for 3 Sunday at Woodbine in his first turf start in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes. A 1 1/16-mile race, the Cup and Saucer is for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.
Hollinger came from just off the pace to win his debut in a six-furlong maiden special Aug. 28, when he earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure. He went a mile and 70 yards at the first allowance condition Oct. 2 and won easily, going four wide on the first turn and three wide on the second before winning by 2 1/4 lengths.
Trainer Roger Attfield said he is optimistic that Hollinger, a son of Black Minnaloushe, will handle the grass.
"He should love it," said Attfield. "He's by a good sire of turf horses, and out of a Dynaformer mare. If there is such a thing as a big grass foot, he has it. I breezed him once on the turf, and he handled it very well. That's the only time that he's been on it."
Attfield is quite high on Hollinger, who was bred by his owners, Bob Harvey and Al Wortzman.
"I like him a lot," said Attfield. "He acts like a horse that has a future."
Stormy Lord won his debut going three-quarters on the grass and also took the allowance prep for the Summer Stakes on that surface.
In the one-mile Summer, Stormy Lord helped to set rapid fractions under Justin Stein before fading to finish fifth behind Bridgetown, one of the early favorites for the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
Trainer Ian Black said Stormy Lord failed to rate kindly in the Grade 3 Summer.
"He was pretty keen," Black said. "It was no fault of Justin's, but they went the half-mile quicker than they did in the Woodbine Mile the next day. I've changed some equipment on him and have worked him behind a horse. Hopefully, we can get him to settle a little bit early."
Jim McAleney takes over on Stormy Lord, who is going on Lasix.
Mobil Unit improved significantly when switched to the turf in his fourth start, winning his maiden by nearly four lengths with a 77 Beyer. He ran evenly and finished fourth in the Summer, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
Forever Awesome, based at Belmont with trainer Todd Pletcher, captured his only start in a grass route at Delaware.