Line of Vision gets her chance on turf in Passing Mood

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Multiple stakes winner Line of Vision will try the grass for the first time as the 125-pound highweight in Saturday’s $100,000 Passing Mood Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine. Line of Vision gives 10 pounds to all six of her rivals.

Owned by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, the diminutive Line of Vision notched victories in two Ontario-sired stakes last fall, the six-furlong Victorian Queen and the 1 1/16-mile South Ocean.

Line of Vision got a late start this season. After an extended layoff, she wound up seventh in the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes on June 29. That race set her up for the 1 1/16-mile Eternal Search Stakes on Aug. 5, and she overcame a slow pace and traffic problems to prevail.

Trainer Andrew Smith said Line of Vision exited the South Ocean last November with a sore shin that required some time off.

“It took us a while to get her back,” he said. “The first race back, she wasn’t really ready to run, but she got that race under her belt.”

Line of Vision worked five-eighths in 1:01.80 on the turf training course July 15.

“She worked pretty good,” Smith said. “It was a hard, fast turf, and she handled it no problem. I’m a little leery of the turf on Saturday if it’s softer.”

Six others were entered in the Passing Mood, which is the ninth of 11 races.

KEY CONTENDERS

Line of Vision, by Court Vision

Last 3 Beyers: 72-58-62

◗ Woodbine Mile victor Court Vision is the sire of Grade 2 turf stakes winner Mr Havercamp. Line of Vision’s dam produced three stakes-placed runners on turf, most notably Pyrite Mountain.

◗ Smith believes that seven-eighths is a little short for her. “It’s not her best distance,” he said. “I prefer a mile and a sixteenth, but this is a hard race to pass up.”

Zestina, by Silent Name

Last 3 Beyers: 70-67-71

◗ She was third in the Lady Angela, and one of her better performances was a July 21 victory in an Ontario-sired allowance turf sprint. She’s coming off a narrow loss in an Ontario-sired allowance on the Tapeta.

Gosudarina, by Court Vision

Last 3 Beyers: 62-65-69

◗ Her turf form at 2 was mediocre, but she’s improved this year for trainer Robert Tiller, who has won the Passing Mood a record five times.

Without a Doubt, by Court Vision

Last 3 Beyers: 70-68-60

◗ She broke out of a slump by winning a recent Ontario-sired allowance on the main track.

◗ Bob Neumann trains her and Silent Respect while Ralph Biamonte serves a suspension.