Kingsport to face elders in Overskate Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The talented 3-year-old Kingsport will test older stakes opponents in Saturday’s $125,000 Overskate, a seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired runners at Woodbine.
Trained by Sid Attard, Kingsport notched his first stakes win against Ontario-sired 2-year-olds in the Kingarvie in December. After getting the winter off, Kingsport was slow to come around this year. He beat non-winners of three going long on the grass in his third race off the bench July 4.
Kingsport doubled up with authority July 22 in the Deputy Minister Stakes. He came four wide from fourth to win that seven-furlong Polytrack event going away under Patrick Husbands with a career-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He ran huge that day,” Attard said.
Kingsport seemed headed for another victory most recently on the grass in the one-mile Vice Regent Stakes but was overtaken in deep stretch by Born in a Breeze.
“Patrick said to me he doesn’t mind the grass, but he’s better on the Poly,” Attard said.
The Overskate is the eighth on a 10-race card. Rain was in the early forecast for Saturday.
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KEY CONTENDERS
Kingsport (Last 3 Beyers: 84-91-82)
◗ The son of Milwaukee Brew is an impressive physical specimen. It’s certainly the right time of year for a horse like him to take on his elders, some of whom are past their prime.
“He’s a big, strong horse,” Attard said.
Sniper (Last 3 Beyers: 90-80-85)
◗ He’s coming off a fast score in a second-level optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs. The closer is made to order for a seven-furlong race with a quick pace, but there’s not an abundance of speed in this 11-horse field.
◗ His red-hot trainer, Barb Minshall, captured two graded stakes on the Woodbine Mile undercard last Sunday.
Ultimate Destiny (Last 3 Beyers: 83-87-90)
◗ The multiple stakes winner has seen better days, but he could be cycling up to a peak performance following a third in the restricted Halton Stakes on turf, which is not his surface of choice. It will be interesting to see how he handles the turnback to a distance over which he has a fine record.
Spadina Road (Last 3 Beyers: 87-94-84)
◗ The 4-year-old has run two solid races since getting claimed for $40,000 by trainer Kevin Attard. After running second to champion Phil’s Dream in the Shepperton Stakes, he finished a lapped-on third in the Kenora Stakes, a race for graduates of local yearling sales.
Marten Lake (Last 3 Beyers: 85-93-86)
◗ He raced wide throughout when fourth in the six-furlong Kenora, on the heels of a good third in the Shepperton.