King's Plate hopeful Stanley House takes another swing

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – King’s Plate hopeful Stanley House will take on older opposition again in Sunday’s seventh race at Woodbine, a first-level allowance route with a $32,000 claiming option.

Stanley House rallied for second in both of his 2-year-old outings while sprinting for trainer Mike DePaulo, who took the son of hot young sire Army Mule to Gulfstream Park for the winter.

In his first Gulfstream start in February, Stanley House was a lackluster fifth as the favorite. He made amends about six weeks later on March 25, when he rallied from fifth to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special going away with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

DePaulo said Stanley House had valid excuses in his first Gulfstream outing.

“It was the first time he’d run long, and you always wonder if they’ll go two turns or not,” DePaulo said. “I was a little disappointed. I thought he’d win, but it didn’t happen. He came back with three shoes, and then we took out a bunch of his wolf teeth. The [horse dentist] promised me two lengths [improvement] for each tooth, so she was right.”

Ross Armata Jr. took over the training of Stanley House in April while DePaulo was under suspension and sent him out to finish second here in a May 6 allowance route. The winner, Tyson, came back to finish a commendable third in the Grade 2 Eclipse.

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Stanley House was a $120,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky by owners John and Diana Russell.

“We took a bit of a gamble,” DePaulo recalled. “He was by a first-year sire, and the first foal out of the mare. He looked very mature. I was just looking for a good horse, and I thought he was one. I was going to buy him for me and my son, but when he went way past our budget, I called Mr. Russell and we got it done.”

Luis Contreras will break Stanley House from post 11 in the full field of 14, which also has an also-eligible.

Souper Cohiba was freshened after an impressive come-from-behind score in a Florida-bred allowance/optional claimer on March 12 at Gulfstream. The 89 Beyer he earned is higher than the 85 earned by Stanley House last time out.

Souper Cohiba was claimed last fall for $32,000 by trainer Katerina Vassilieva for rookie owner Karen McCleave.

◗ Only six were entered in Sunday’s featured ninth race, including stakes winners Haddassah, Luckman, and 2021 Canadian champion male 3-year-old Frosted Over. They will negotiate a mile on the inner turf in the conditioned allowance with an $80,000 claiming option.

◗ A mixed bag of 13 was drawn for the eighth, a 1 1/16-mile conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option on the main turf. Among them are millionaire A Thread of Blue, last year’s Grade 3 Singspiel winner Ready for the Lady, and Grade 3-placed English Conqueror.

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