Just Magnificent could get favorable setup in return to inner turf
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The lone runner in Thursday’s Woodbine feature not in for the $40,000 claiming tag is Ontario-sired Just Magnificent. Among a field of eight, she’s arguably the one to beat in the nonwinners-of-two test, scheduled for 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf.
Just Magnificent graduated over Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens in her second start of the season on June 19. She switched to the inner turf a month later and rallied for second, which was her third on-the-board finish from as many starts over the course.
Just Magnificent has since made three starts on Tapeta. She checked in fifth twice, including in the restricted Algoma Stakes. She then had a wide trip over a rail-biased track most recently before ending up fourth, from which runner-up Regal Moment exited to win another nonwinners-of-two Tapeta tilt.
David Moran will ride Just Magnificent again for trainer Evette Chartrand-Hoek, who sent out Friendly Ghost to win the Aug. 24 Elgin Stakes. After starting from post 3, Just Magnificent looks to have lots speed to close behind, and her ability to handle the tight inner course is a feather in her cap.
Celebrity Ro, Lady Iona, and Texas Holiday all prefer the front end.
The Kevin Attard-trained Celebrity Ro began her campaign in the United States in the spring and has only rounded into form of late. She made her inner turf debut a winning one Sept. 20 when leading throughout a one-mile maiden special. Apprentice Pietro Moran retains the mount from post 2.
Lady Iona graduated in her penultimate start over this course and distance. When moving up to this level in her latest, she folded in the stretch after setting suicidal fractions. Fraser Aebly inherits the mount from the departed Sahin Civaci on the 4-year-old, who drew post 5. Civaci has moved his tack from Woodbine to Aqueduct.
Texas Holiday is drawn outside the other speed in post 6 under Eswan Flores. The Marty Drexler-trained sophomore is dropping from first-level allowance/optional-claiming company while competing on short rest. She could be over the top.
Shade of Pale can rally for a share if she fires one of her better shots.
Winless in eight starts this year, Shade of Pale competed in Florida during the winter before making her way north of the border to trainer Steve Chircop in the spring. After a string of out-of-the-money finishes in allowance/optional-claiming company, she dropped to this level following a layoff on Oct. 2 and ran fourth with a belated wide bid.
Leading rider Rafael Hernandez picks up the mount on Shade of Pale. Hernandez and Chircop are a combined 0 for 11 at the meet.
Spellcheck is making her first grass start off her worst performance of the meet. She breezed five-eighths on the turf training course Oct. 5. The daughter of 12 percent turf sire Candy Ride is out of a turf winner who produced a placed runner on the grass.
Post time for the seven-race card is 5:30 p.m.
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