Iwoodificould just might

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Iwoodificould, who has won his last two starts, should be well-backed to extend his streak in Wednesday's wide-open Woodbine feature, a $100,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up.

The 1 1/16-mile race lured four others - Florida Recount, Bronze Bayou, Davids Expectation, and Tempered Appeal.

Iwoodificould, owned by John Franks, landed a $20,000 claimer Dec. 4 at Sam Houston. He narrowly lost a third-level allowance three weeks later, then won at that condition Jan. 10.

Iwoodificould subsequently was sent here to trainer David Bell and was a solid third in an $80,000 optional claimer when he returned from a three-month layoff April 13. He successfully stretched out from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles to take a tough $25,000 starter May 9 and is coming off a decisive score at seven furlongs against $20,000 starter opponents.

Iwoodificould, who has lots of speed to track on Wednesday, will break from the inside post under Jim McAleney.

Tempered Appeal and Davids Expectation could hook up on the front end.

Tempered Appeal was claimed for $80,000 by trainer Abraham Katryan for owner Bruno Schickedanz in July 2001 and took the Bold Venture Handicap in his next start. He also won an allowance race in his final 2001 outing but then failed to hit the board in seven subsequent starts during the next year and a half.

Tempered Appeal failed to show much last winter in two Gulfstream Park outings and was reunited with Katryan this spring. He snapped out of his slump with an impressive win in the allowance prep for the Eclipse Handicap but was a bust in the Grade 3 Eclipse itself, in which he dueled up front before folding.

Davids Expectation earned a Beyer Figure of 97 when he won a recent seven-furlong dash at this level while defeating several of his current rivals, along with the classy Crucible. He is questionable at this distance, although he could take some catching if he shakes loose from Tempered Appeal early.

Florida Recount earned a 96 Beyer when he romped over $80,000 opposition April 27, the last time he tried this distance. He got bogged down running on a dead rail when fifth in Davids Expectation's June 1 victory.

Bronze Bayou also ran on the dead rail when he finished fourth behind Davids Expectation on June 1. He won his two previous races, both in sprints, and ran well around two turns last year.