Look for Ethanol to turn on the gas late

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There are several fast horses in Friday’s eighth race at Woodbine, which could set the table for a closer like Ethanol in the five-furlong Ontario-sired allowance.

The nine-race card also has two intriguing seven-furlong maiden special weight sprints for 2-year-olds on the grass that some of the entrants could use as a prep for next month’s Grade 1 Natalma and Grade 2 Summer stakes.

The fifth race, for both sexes, includes the good workers Conquest Farenheit and Guy Caballero. Armament, another promising first-time starter, is a son of the world-renowned sire War Front.

The seventh race, for fillies, is headed by champion Are You Kidding Me’s full sister Must Be Dreaming, who was a front-running second in her grass debut. Erin Commodity, a half-sister to Breeders’ Stakes winner Camp Creek, galloped out strongly after ending up second in her seven-furlong opener on the Tapeta. The also-eligible Financial Recovery was a troubled fourth as the favorite in the Shady Well Stakes.

KEY CONTENDERS, Race 8

Ethanol, by Marcavelly

Last 3 Beyers: 74-72-72

◗ With four scores in six starts, he’s tied for the winningest runner at the meet. Those triumphs all came in the lower claiming ranks.

◗ He was eased after getting bumped at the break on the grass July 30, a performance that can be ignored.

◗ If this Tapeta event falls apart, he could be along for all the spoils under Juan Crawford, who won a race each at Woodbine and Fort Erie last Sunday.

Corky’s the Name, by Old Forester

Last 3 Beyers: 84-63-59

◗ After dueling with the eventual allowance winner Hipp Smitt, he faded to fourth in his June 3 debut. Three weeks later, he weakened to third after setting a quick pace in a five-furlong maiden special. Most recently, with leading rider Eurico Da Silva aboard, he darted out to a clear lead and never looked back to prevail by six lengths in a rapid five-furlong time of 57.97 seconds.

◗ The team of Da Silva and trainer Ralph Biamonte is among the most successful jockey-trainer duos at the meet. Heading into this week, they had teamed up to go 12 for 32.

Sunny’s Rainbow, by Philanthropist

Last 3 Beyers: 64-72-63

◗ After earning his diploma in a five-furlong maiden dash June 26, he wound up third in a July 22 allowance. The top two finishers from that race both fared well in their next start.

J Edgar, by Old Forester

Beyers: 71-68

◗ He went to the sidelines after graduating in a romp in his lone 2-year-old outing in October and has been idle since fading to sixth after leading the way in an April 9 allowance.

◗ Trainer Bob Tiller is taking the blinkers off.