King Corrie matches local comebackers vs. Ward shipper
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sunday’s $100,000 King Corrie Stakes at Woodbine is a starting point for a handful of Canadian Triple Crown nominees. The King Corrie is a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.
Velocitor, Dream Jereem, and Twin City are all making their first start since the Nov. 6 Coronation Futurity, and all three are nominated to the Triple Crown, which commences with the $1 million King’s Plate on Aug. 20.
Sent off at 21-1, Velocitor rode a golden rail in a gate-to-wire victory in the $253,000 Coronation, a 1 1/8-mile test for Canadian-bred juveniles.
“He spent the winter in Kentucky and had some early preparation at Margaux Farm before coming up to Woodbine,” trainer Kevin Attard said. “I think he’s been working really well. Every work, he’s done easily. I’ve been pretty impressed with him. I’m excited to see him run.”
Dream Jereem won his debut in October before a ground-saving seventh-place finish after clipping heels in the Coronation.
“He was lucky not to fall down on the first turn,” Attard recalled. “He had a very rough trip. I think he’s a horse with a lot of talent. He’s been working pretty well, and I’m looking forward to getting him going. Hopefully, he’s another King’s Plate candidate.”
Twin City made his way through traffic along the inside in the stretch to finish a neck back in second in the Coronation. He wasn’t worse than second in five starts for trainer Stu Simon.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked in whatever circumstance he’s been in,” Simon said. “He’s got such a great attitude and a good mind. It’s kind of one step at a time. Is he going to be better at two turns? Yes. Hopefully, this is a stepping point to going down the road.”
The other Triple Crown nominees in the eight-horse field are Keen Flatter, One for Chap, and Stayhonor Goodside.
Keen Flatter won a six-furlong allowance here in October before a distant fifth-place finish on short rest in the Nov. 5 Display Stakes.
One for Chap has been idle since ending up eighth in the Aug. 20 Soaring Free Stakes on the grass.
Stayhonor Goodside was a well-beaten third behind the Royal Ascot-bound New York Thunder in his season opener in the April 30 Woodstock Stakes.
Who will go off favored? It will probably be the Kentucky invader Wico, an Irish-bred trained by Wesley Ward.
Wico earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating in his penultimate race and first start on Tapeta in a one-mile maiden special at Turfway Park. The son of No Nay Never is cutting back off a wide fourth-place finish in a one-mile allowance on the Keeneland turf. Ward has been winning at an eye-popping 47 percent clip going route to sprint.
Leading rider Kazushi Kimura has the mount on Wico.
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