International rider Saadi has first local mount

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Accomplished international jockey Soufiane Saadi has his first Woodbine mount in Thursday’s opener since the native of France moved to Canada this spring.

According to his agent, Steve Roberts, Saadi has won 480 races. He captured group stakes for Godolphin and the Aga Khan while riding in France, Germany, England, the U.A.E., and Qatar, where the 28-year-old was the leading rider each of the last three years.

Saadi rides the debuting J M R Turf Aly in the first, a five-furlong dash for $15,000 maidens. Trained by Steve Chircop, J M R Turf Aly is a full brother to J M R Best of Turf, who finished third in the 2021 Coronation Futurity after notching his debut at 2.

The dropper Frac Right is making his first start with Scott Fairlie listed as trainer and could take some catching. He dueled through fast fractions before fading to fourth in his May 17 comeback against $25,000 maidens. Sahin Civaci has the mount on the son of hot Ontario sire Frac Daddy.

Chircop sends out the speedy Silent Guroo in the second race, a $7,500 starter allowance main-turf sprint with a $15,000 claiming option. Silent Guroo took three of 13 starts last year before wintering at Turf Paradise, where she checked in third in her March 11 seasonal bow in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claimer.

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Blazing Sky should be closing effectively in her second race off the sidelines. She awaited room along the inside before rallying for second in her May 17 return to action. Trained by Roy Agostino, the 6-year-old has been competitive in two of her four turf assignments.

Trainer Kevin Attard, who won two races last Thursday, saddles probable favorite Tempora in race 5, a 6 1/2-furlong event for $15,000 non-winners of three. Exiting an extended layoff in a shorter sprint May 11, Tempora finished a close second after a wide trip over an inside-favoring track.

Kazushi Kimura, who retains the mount, has a 22 percent strike rate for the barn.

Swirling Dancer faded to third behind Tempora after battling for the lead in her first start in five months May 11 and could be the main threat.

Trainer Tony Gattellero and has a chance to sweep the late double with Tavaline in the seventh and Gather in the eighth.

Normally a front-runner, Tavaline stalked the pacesetter before vying for the lead in the stretch and then had to settle for second when favored while dropping to $25,000 non-winners of two company May 10. She has other speed to contend with here at the same level.

Gather is experimenting on the grass while going long on the inner course off a third in another $25,000 maiden-claimer, which was her first race on Tapeta. The daughter of 14 percent turf route sire Collected is a half-sister to a turf winner.

Kimura rides both Gattellero runners.

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