Ice Chocolat warming up to North American racing

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ice Chocolat has been heating up for trainer Mark Casse, and the South American import should be favored in Sunday’s featured fifth race at Woodbine. Scheduled for six furlongs on the main turf, the conditioned allowance provides for a $50,000 claiming option and drew a field of nine.

A Group 3 winner in Brazil, Ice Chocolat wasn’t an impact player at the first allowance condition in the spring before back-to-back neck losses as the favorite here in July.

Ice Chocolat cleared the first allowance condition following a break when shortening up from an inner turf route to 6 1/2 furlongs on the main course on Sept. 4. He was bet down to 9-2 most recently in the Grade 2 Nearctic and did well to finish fourth in the six-furlong stakes, while putting up a career-high 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Casse said Ice Chocolat simply took some time to come around after shipping to his operation early this year.

“We gelded him and he’s adapted to North American racing,” Casse explained.

Kazushi Kimura was aboard for Ice Chocolat’s last score and will break him from post 7 as the 125-pound highweight.

Casse, the meet’s leading trainer, also entered Bohemian Boy and Real Money.

Bohemian Boy toiled at the first allowance category before barely winning it over Downy Boy and Nashtrick going seven-eighths here Aug. 14. He got fried in a front-end battle most recently at this level and is drawn inside most of the other speed here in post 4 under Sahin Civaci.

Real Money was competitive here in a series of five-furlong sprints before a flat fifth in a $50,000 claimer over the undulating Kentucky Downs course on Sept. 5, a subpar race that shouldn’t be held against him.

The classy 8-year-old White Flag has lost a step this year, although he wasn’t far back in seventh most recently in a conditioned allowance with an $80,000 claiming option. Trainer Roger Attfield has given the call to Emma-Jane Wilson, who was up for his last victory here in September 2021.

There’s No Joe, Shekky Shebaz, Napa Spirit, and Warp Ride all possess speed. Among them, Shekky Shebaz owns the highest TimeformUS early pace rating. A win-shy five-furlong expert, Shekky Shebaz is returning from a seven-month layoff in his debut for trainer Marty Drexler, who has a 23 percent strike rate with new acquisitions.

The temporary rail’s placement in the outermost lane 5 could be advantageous to whomever makes the lead along the inside, even if that horse is pressured from the outset.

Completing the lineup is Salvator Mundi, who could hit the bottom of the exotics as a longshot if he fires one of his better shots with clear sailing along the inside. Jose Campos, a fresh new face in the local jockey colony, will ride the 6-year-old.

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