Kaigun shortening up in Play the King Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kaigun will cut back in distance in his return to Woodbine to face nine others in a salty edition of the Grade 2, $200,000 Play the King Stakes on turf Sunday.
The Ontario-bred will run seven furlongs for the first time since his career debut and is using the race as a prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 14.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Kaigun. Trainer Mark Casse is 5 for 43 with a $0.84 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on turf in races with a purse of at least $60,000.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“Our thoughts have been that a mile is his best distance,” said trainer Mark Casse. “He ran second to Wise Dan going a mile. We just figured at some point in time we needed to cut him back, so this is where we’re going to do it.”
Dimension, the winner of the 2013 Play the King, Excaper, and Winning Prize also could be using the Play the King as a prep for the Woodbine Mile.
The sprinter Something Extra enters this spot off an impressive win over Phil’s Dream in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes on July 6.
“I thought he ran a huge race,” said trainer Gail Cox. “They went very, very fast, and for a minute, it looked like the horses were going to get to him, but he kicked on.”
Something Extra was a close second to Excaper after a stretch duel in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup on May 31, the last time each horse traveled seven furlongs. Cox believes the extra weight Something Extra carried that day made a difference in the result.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Something Extra. Trainer Gail Cox is 11 for 45 with a $3.62 ROI over the past five years in turf routes.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
“I’m happy that we’ll both be carrying the same weight [on Sunday],” she said. “In that race, Something Extra was giving six pounds to [Excaper]. [Something Extra has] won numerous times going seven-eighths, and I’m hoping he can again.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Something Extra (Last 3 Beyers: 98-98-95)
◗ Something Extra has been no worse than first or second in all four of his career starts at seven furlongs on turf.
Excaper (Last 3 Beyers: 97-99-99)
◗ Excaper relinquished a late lead in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes on June 22 over a mile and now turns back to seven-eighths. The winner of the King Edward, Grand Arch, was set to run in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga on Saturday.
◗ Expect Excaper to figure in the early pace scenario, but he should be able to sit outside of the speed.
Kaigun (Last 3 Beyers: 97-100-93)
◗ Formulator Fact: Trainer Casse has recorded just 16 percent winners from 67 starters turning back in distance on turf in the past five years, including an 0-for-4 mark in graded stakes.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Winning Prize. Trainer Neil Drysdale is winless in his last 21 starts (with only four in the money) over the past four years going from route to sprint on turf.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan