Kay's Grace capable of firing fresh in allowance feature
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Fresh horses have held their own at Woodbine of late, and Kay’s Grace returns from a summer break Saturday in the featured first-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares.
Kay’s Grace showed promise while launching her career in the summer of 2012, when she won her debut and an Ontario-sired allowance. However, things went awry after she was scratched from the 2012 Classy ‘n Smart Stakes after flipping in the gate.
Kay’s Grace had an abbreviated two-race campaign in 2013, which were a pair of drab efforts in the fall.
Following a winter layoff, Kay’s Grace got back on track in her season opener May 4, when she rallied wide to prevail in a six-furlong combo race for nonwinners of three Ontario-sired allowance stock and $40,000 conditioned claimers. The lanky 5-year-old Kay’s Grace went on to run second to stakes winner Bear’s Gem in an Ontario-sired allowance with no conditions, before finishing a flat fifth in the Zadracarta Stakes on grass.
Most recently, Kay’s Grace seemed headed for victory in the stretch of a seven-furlong allowance in July 20, but was overtaken late by a charging Theogeny. She held off Russian Jewel, who came back to win an allowance before finishing second in the Etobicoke Stakes.
Kay’s Grace has just one interim work, a half-mile breeze in 49 seconds, but should be fit enough for the task at hand.
An overnight stakes failed to fill on Saturday, and the feature goes as the eighth on a 10-race card that has an average field size of 9.6 horses.
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Kay’s Grace (Last 3 Beyers: 76-83-72)
◗ She has done her optimum running on the outside, so her wide draw in this seven-horse field is ideal. Regular rider Matt Moore has the mount for the partnership of Mike Dunslow and trainer Lisa Burry.
Conquest Whiplash (Last 3 Beyers: 69-54-40)
◗She’s winless since beating males at first asking in one of the first 2-year-old stakes of the 2013 meet, the Victoria, but seems ready to put in her best effort here in her third start off an extended layoff.
◗She worked five-eighths in a bullet 59.80 seconds Aug. 27, and should prevail in a front-end battle with the claimer Its the Rush. The 6 1/2-furlong distance of this event might be her main obstacle.
Henry’s Island (Last 3 Beyers: 65-50-73)
◗The stakes-placed filly is going back to her preferred surface for her second race following a long layoff, and could be an effective stalker.