ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kaukokaipuu has had a rocky start to his year and will try to get back on track in Sunday’s featured conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option at Woodbine. Trained by Ted Holder, Kaukokaipuu participated in all three legs of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown, after winning the Queenston Stakes and running second in the Grade 3 Marine. He finished far back in the $1 million King’s Plate in August behind gate-to-wire winner Paramount Prince, a rival he defeated in the seven-furlong Queenston. Kaukokaipuu took to the dirt nicely in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie in September, rallying from fourth for second while earning an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. He faded to seventh after a stalking trip in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes on the turf here Oct. 1, after which he went to the sidelines. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Kaukokaipuu wintered in Ocala and wound up ninth after a troubled break in his March 24 season debut in a six-furlong allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. “He grabbed his quarter leaving the gate,” Holder said. “He never got into the race after that.” Holder said Kaukokaipuu got cut up during the long van ride home from Florida, which took some time to mend. The son of Mr Speaker has breezed three times on the Tapeta this month and will be ridden by apprentice Desean Bynoe. “He seems to be doing okay,” Holder said. “The cuts are healed. We’re just trying to see if he comes back to the horse he was last year. He’s usually pretty handy early in the year.” Among the other stakes winners in the 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta sprint are Twin City and Rapid Test. Twin City won his 2023 season opener in the seven-furlong King Corrie Stakes and later finished eighth in the 2023 King’s Plate. He has been idle since a front-running second at this level Nov. 19. Stuart Simon trains the fast-working gelding. Rapid Test notched the Elgin Stakes for graduates of Canadian yearling sales last August and subsequently ran second in the restricted Lake Ontario Stakes. He was a non-threatening fourth going five furlongs in his season opener for trainer Catherine Day Phillips. Trainer Marty Drexler entered contenders Red River Rebel and Souper Watson. Red River Rebel was claimed for $40,000 last August and then got a break before running competitively later in the fall. Off a four-month break April 19, the stocky 6-year-old checked in third in a $35,000 conditioned claimer at Gulfstream. Souper Watson had a productive 2023 campaign that featured three victories, including his May 14 season opener. Kazushi Kimura was up for all three of those tallies and has the mount on Sunday. Last American Exit finished second in two Grade 3 stakes last year and could factor into the exotics. A wide trip over an inside-favoring track hindered his chances when third last time out in December. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.