Long-idle Kaigun preps for Play the King
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The road to the Sept. 13 Woodbine Mile begins in earnest here Friday, when the classy Kaigun meets a sharp Tower of Texas in the 6 1/2-furlong allowance prep for next month’s Play the King Stakes.
Kaigun won last year’s Grade 2 Play the King convincingly before ending up a close second in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. He went on to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile and 10th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile before capturing the Grade 2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar.
In his only appearance this year Jan. 31, Kaigun could only manage fourth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Arcadia at Santa Anita. He subsequently got a freshening in Florida and has worked three times here this month on the comeback trail. Patrick Husbands will ride the 5-year-old gelding for trainer Mark Casse.
Two-time Canadian champion sprinter Essence Hit Man was entered for the main track only in the featured eighth race, which carries a base purse of $74,500.
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Kaigun (Last 3 Beyers: 90-98-94)
◗ Is he ready? This is obviously a springboard toward more important and lucrative engagements, and the screws don’t appear to have been tightened.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Casse has a 19 percent strike rate with six-month-plus layoff runners in turf sprints over the past five years, with a positive return on investment of $2.17.
Tower of Texas (Last 3 Beyers: 98-90-87)
◗ Like Kaigun, his career has turned around dramatically since he was gelded. The stretch runner is unbeaten in three starts this year, including first- and second-level allowance scores on Polytrack in May.
◗ Most recently in his turf debut, the 4-year-old rallied along the rail to take the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes by nearly three lengths with a career-high 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
◗ Leading rider Eurico Da Silva retains the mount for trainer Roger Attfield, a combination that is 6 for 17 at the meet.
Stacked Deck (Last 3 Beyers: 92-100-76)
◗ He employed an aggressive speed style in his last two starts, winning a third-level optional claimer on Polytrack before fading to third in the one-mile King Edward.
◗ With the temporary rail on turf way out in speed-friendly lane 5, he seems capable of getting to the front and might never look back under David Moran.
Choctaw Chuck (Last 3 Beyers: 92-80-77)
◗ He dropped a neck decision last time out while splitting two next-out winners in a stakes at Presque Isle Downs.