Kingsport to make rare turf start in Bunty Lawless

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kingsport will make his first start on turf since September 2017 in search of his third stakes win of the year in Thanksgiving Monday’s $100,000 Bunty Lawless Stakes at Woodbine. The Bunty Lawless, for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, will be contested over one mile.

Kingsport has made four of his 28 starts on turf, winning an allowance/optional-claiming race back in July 2015. Later that year, he finished second in a pair of one-mile turf stakes, the Vice Regent and Bunty Lawless. He finished seventh in his most recent turf start more than a year ago.

Last time out, Kingsport was sixth in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes while cutting back in distance from a win in the Elgin Stakes.

“That was a mistake,” trainer Sid Attard said. “You can’t run a mile and a sixteenth and then shorten them up like that against those horses.”

Kingsport has upset a pair of Canadian champions in his stakes wins this year. He ended Pink Lloyd’s 11-race win streak with a thrilling victory in the Shepperton Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs on July 8 and defeated Melmich in the Elgin Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 29.

Key Contenders

Kingsport, by Milwaukee Brew
Last 3 Beyers: 83-93-94

◗ The versatile Kingsport will have Patrick Husbands in the saddle for the sixth consecutive start. Husbands has been aboard for six of Kingsport’s nine victories.

Red Cabernet, by Signature Red
Last 3 Beyers: 82-85-74

◗ The lone filly in the field is seeking her third consecutive victory and her fourth in her last five starts. She captured the Victoriana Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths over “good” turf Aug. 11 and followed that up with a half-length victory against open allowance company in her most recent start Sept. 3.

Thor’s Rocket, by Old Forester
Last 3 Beyers: 88-94-85

◗ He most recently was third behind Kingsport in the Elgin Stakes after tracking his rival through extremely slow early fractions.

◗ He’s yet to win in five attempts this year but has done his best running on turf. Two starts back, he was beaten just a neck in open allowance company over 1 1/16 miles on grass, earning a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Nipigon, by Niigon
Last 3 Beyers: 73-84-82

◗ He finished fourth in last year’s Bunty Lawless and was second in this race back in 2016.

◗ He’s returning to Woodbine after three races at Presque Isle Downs. He had won back-to-back allowance starts at Presque Isle before finishing 10th in the Presque Isle Downs Mile on Sept. 16.

Ethical Funds, by Giant Gizmo
Last 3 Beyers: 91-82-75

◗ He earned a career-best 91 Beyer in his most recent start over 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 22 while beating an allowance field that included a pair of graded stakes winners.

◗ He may find the one-mile distance to be too short since all four of his wins have come at 1 1/8 miles or beyond.