Hunt Master hopes turf form translates to Tapeta

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – On Sunday, Hunt Master brings solid turf form to Woodbine’s featured conditioned allowance, which has a $50,000 claiming option. Can he make a successful transition back to Tapeta after breaking from the outside post 10 in the 1 1/16-mile route?

In his last four outings, Hunt Master has beaten Ontario-sired allowance opponents and cleared the first open allowance condition, all on the grass. He has placed in all four of his Tapeta starts going long without a victory, but was narrowly beaten by the future New York allowance performer Full Screen in a restricted stakes in the best of those races last November.

“Obviously, he’s done really well on the turf of late,” trainer Angus Buntain said. “I suppose he’s marginally better on turf, but he’s run very well on Tapeta in the past.”

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Hunt Master worked a half-mile in a rapid 46.60 on Tapeta last Sunday.

“It was a little faster than we were hoping for, but he did it very easily,” Buntain said. “That’s just the way he is. He’s a fast-working horse. At the moment, he’s sharp and doing very well. Everything seems in order.”

Buntain is happy to have apprentice Sofia Vives on Hunt Master for the second time in a row.

“It’s nice having the weight break,” Buntain said. “From the outside post, he’s going to have to be used a little bit to be forwardly placed. At least he’s not carrying full weight – that, hopefully, will help.”

Among the other possibilities in the eighth race are Cruden Bay, J P Hellish, Palio, and Dancin in Da’nile.

Cruden Bay came from third to drop a neck decision to the classy Like the King in a five-horse race at this level on Oct. 8. He defeated J P Hellish in a nine-furlong allowance in September under leading rider Kazushi Kimura, who retains the mount for trainer Don MacRae.

J P Hellish benefited from an inside bias before going outside in the stretch to win at the first allowance condition on Oct. 29, earning a career high 89 Beyer Speed Figure in the process. The veteran possesses tactical speed and it will be interesting to see if he goes for the lead or lets Hunt Master have it. Sahin Civaci will ride him again for trainer Marty Drexler. They’ve teamed up to win 31 races at the meet.

Palio came from his Maryland base to finish second to J P Hellish after saving ground until the quarter pole Oct. 29. The son of Twirling Candy was claimed for $32,000 then by trainer Abraham Katryan for Bruno Schickedanz, the continent’s leading owner in wins.

Dancin in Da’nile ran spotty on the grass here this year before ending up fourth most recently in a conditioned allowance with a $62,500 claiming option at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old’s best Tapeta race was a runner-up finish in the 2021 Coronation Futurity.

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