Last Call gets back to turf, faces strong group in Alywow Stakes
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grade 1 winner Last Call goes back to the grass against several quality shippers Sunday at Woodbine in the $100,000 Alywow Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on the main course.
Last Call graduated in style third time out going a mile in the Grade 1 Natalma here in September. She was a slow-starting sixth in her only other 2-year-old outing in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.
Last Call competed on Tapeta for the first time in her season opener in the Ruling Angel Stakes here May 20, when she finished second to current rival Ryder Ryder Ryder.
Rafael Hernandez will ride Last Call again for trainer Kevin Attard.
“It was good to get her 3-year-old season under way with the second in the Ruling Angel, and now we’ll get her back on the turf,” Attard said. “She’s been working well, and we’re hoping she can get it done on Sunday.”
Kentucky invader Secret Money drew post 2 in the nine-horse field, with Jareth Loveberry aboard for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Secret Money won second time out in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special at Keeneland in April. She doubled up in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at Churchill most recently, while earning an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.
Saratoga-based Up and Down also won her maiden at second asking at Keeneland in April, doing so in a one-mile maiden special. The daughter of Creative Cause is coming off a troubled fourth in the one-mile Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico.
Trainer Chad Brown has lured leading rider Kazushi Kimura for the mount on Up and Down. They combined to take the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor with Rougir here in October.
Churchill-based Mohawk Trail has been running regularly on the grass since the fall. She prevailed in a first-level allowance route in February at Tampa, before ending up eighth there in the Florida Oaks. She got back on the beam with a third-place finish in the Sanibel Island Stakes on April 1 at Gulfstream and is exiting a close second in the one-mile Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap.
Adam Beschizza has the call on the Kelsey Danner-trained Mohawk Trail.
Trainer Mark Casse entered Ryder Ryder Ryder, Renegade Rebel, Star Candy, and the supplemented Fearless Angel.
Ryder Ryder Ryder is making her turf debut off a seven-length score in the seven-furlong Ruling Angel. She’s by elite sire Quality Road, who’s produced nearly 14 percent winners with his turf progeny.
Renegade Rebel was beaten in double digits in both of her races since taking the Grade 3 Mazarine with the aid of a speed bias here Nov. 26. Another who’s experimenting on the grass, she’s a daughter of good turf sire Nyquist.
Star Candy rallied inside from fourth to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special on the inner turf in her June 1 season debut.
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