London Tower breezes for Woodbine Oaks

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Fury Stakes winner London Tower finished her preparation for Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks last Friday with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 on the turf training track.

“It was an excellent work,” trainer Steve Owens said. “We’re pretty excited. She’s had a couple of good works the last couple of weeks.”

Friday’s breeze was London Tower’s first since May 24. Owens said he would have liked to have worked London Tower in between the May 24 and June 5 works, but the 3-year-old daughter of Head Chopper contracted a virus that has affected a number of horses on the Woodbine backstretch. Owens said London Tower has fully recovered and is in good condition heading into the Oaks.

“Other than that setback, she’s been training forwardly,” he said. “She’s a really good filly.”

London Tower’s half-length victory in the Fury on May 3 served as her lone prep for the Oaks, but her talent was on full display in the seven-furlong sprint. London Tower had an affinity for being on the lead in her three starts as a 2-year-old but showed an ability to come from off the pace when she broke last in the Fury and came with a strong closing kick down the stretch.

“I think she showed how versatile she is,” Owens said. “She’s always trained off of horses in the morning. When she was 2, she was so big and strong that she just said, ‘Come catch me.’ ”

Alan Garcia, who sits in a three-way tie with Luis Contreras and Eurico Da Silva atop the Woodbine jockeys’ standings with 34 wins, has the mount on London Tower for the Woodbine Oaks.

Entries for the Woodbine Oaks and Sunday’s $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes won’t be taken until Thursday, but as of Monday, large fields were expected for both races.

As many as 10 fillies could be entered in the Woodbine Oaks. Trainer Mark Casse is likely to enter four: Lady Angela Stakes winner Galina Point, Season Ticket, Shez a Masterpiece, and Tancook. Trainer Roger Attfield looks to have a pair of fillies for the race: the third-place finisher from the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on May 24, Leading Edge, and Internal Bourbon, who won a first-level Ontario-sired allowance May 22.

Rounding out the potential field are Star Shoot Stakes runner-up Brooklynsway and supplements Red River Heidi for trainer Jason DaCosta and Academic for trainer Reade Baker. Red River Heidi most recently finished second in an allowance race at ThistleDown on May 30, while Academic defeated Tancook in her first start of the year May 15 to record her first victory.

Meanwhile, the field for the Plate Trial could reach 13.

Once again, Casse will be well represented with as many as four starters in the race. Casse’s contingent is led by Danzig Moon, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Preakness Stakes last month. Danzig Moon has never raced on Woodbine’s Polytrack but did breeze five furlongs in 1:00.20 over it Sunday.

Casse also has Conquest Curlinate, who finished second in his most recent start in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on May 9, Conquest Boogaloo, and Field of Courage set for the Plate Trial.

Attfield also has a pair for the Plate Trial: Danish Dynaformer and Billy’s Star. Danish Dynaformer finished third in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes in his most recent start May 16, while Billy’s Star won his last start May 8. The pair worked five furlongs together on the main track in 1:00.80 here last Thursday.

Baker will send out Bear At Last in the Plate Trial. Bear At Last became eligible for the Queen’s Plate in May and finished third in the Wando Stakes on April 19.

Trainer John Ross, who will saddle Brooklynsway in the Oaks, will start Queenston Stakes winner R U Watchingbud in the Plate Trial. Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride both Brooklynsway and R U Watchingbud on Sunday.

A pair of U.S.-based horses also are expected for the Plate Trial: Midnight Trace for trainer Graham Motion and West Village for trainer Wayne Catalano. Other possible entrants include Kingarvie Stakes winner Kingsport, Simcoe Stakes winner Phil’s Cocktail, and Portree. Trainer Stuart Simon said Portree was being pointed toward an allowance race Sunday but could run in the Plate Trial instead if that allowance doesn’t fill.