It's lights-out if Veery clears early
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Can anybody go with the speedy Veery in Thursday’s fourth race at Woodbine? On paper, it looks like she can secure an uncontested lead in the first-level allowance/optional claimer and it’s her race to lose if such is the case.
Veery has been ridden by Eswan Flores in 11 of her last 12 outings, which include two allowance/optional-claiming scores going the 1 1/16-mile distance of Friday’s race.
Veery changed trainers last winter after Marty Drexler took a sabbatical. The 8-year-old has made three starts this year for trainer Mike Wright Jr., all at this level. She won a 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta sprint comfortably off a layoff of nearly six months May 16. After a stalking third in a 7 1/2-furlong inner turf tilt three weeks later, she was softened up in a speed duel when third in a 1 1/16-mile inner turf route July 5.
Flores will break Veery from post 8 on Thursday, when she competes for a $32,000 claiming tag.
Among the others in the nine-horse field are Talbot’s Riplyn, Bold Ripasso, Talent Show, So Kate, and Copacabana.
Talbot’s Riplyn went to the shelf after winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden special last July. Exiting the sidelines May 30, she rallied for third behind the sharp sophomore Bold Time and then wound up a distant fourth in a July 5 inner turf experiment.
Fraser Aebly will get a leg up on Talbot’s Riplyn from trainer Josie Carroll, who has solid turf-to-synthetic numbers.
Bold Ripasso is skipping the nonwinners-of-three Ontario-sired allowance condition after beating nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired opposition going seven-eighths June 13. The Don MacRae-trained 4-year-old has worked regularly during her short time off and retains leading rider Pietro Moran. Bold Ripasso’s lone 1 1/16-mile start was a winning one against maidens in June of 2025.
Talent Show is an intriguing new face at this level and could have a say in the outcome. She ran a freakish type of race for the level most recently, beating $7,500 starter-allowance stock easily after a three-wide closing trip over an inside-biased track.
Jeffrey Alderson retains the mount on Talent Show for trainer Debra Rombis, who claimed Talent Show for $8,000 at Turfway Park in February. Alderson and Romb are 3 for 13 together at the meet with an average win payoff of $12.47.
The Carroll-trained So Kate is competing over a route of ground for the first time with ample stamina in her pedigree. The daughter of Uncle Mo graduated at first asking over seven furlongs May 23 and was a non-threatening fifth of 10 most recently in the Alywow Stakes for 3-year-olds fillies.
Copacabana has started twice here since she was sent to trainer Kevin Attard in the spring. The daughter of Not This Time, one of North America’s leading sires, benefited from an inside bias when fourth in a two-turn maiden special May 23. She dropped to $40,000 most recently and popped as the favorite in a relatively slow clocking.
Post time for the eight-race card is 3:10 p.m.
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