'Luke' live as first-time Attard

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sid Attard, Woodbine's leading trainer in number of wins this meet, has been deadly first time off the claim since the beginning of 2004, winning at a 43 percent clip, with a profitable return on investment. Some of his better claims have gone on to win allowance or optional-claiming races, notably Sky Diamond.

Attard unveils his latest claim, Luke in My Pocket, in Wednesday's seventh race at Woodbine, a $32,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up.

Luke in My Pocket, 5, showed promise early in his 3-year-old campaign, winning in open and Ontario-sired allowance company. He lost a second-level allowance by a head with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in his third start that year, then finished off the board as the favorite in both the Overskate and Shepperton stakes.

Luke in My Pocket was sidelined for more than a year before trainer Bob Tiller dropped him into a $25,000 claimer Oct. 7. The gelding ran a creditable race in that 6 1/2-furlong sprint, closing for fifth over a speed-favoring track after getting bumped soundly at the top of the stretch. Attard claimed him from that race.

Constant Montpellier, who inherits the mount on Luke in My Pocket, is 3 for 10 at the meet when riding for Attard.

Other possibilities in 1 1/16-mile race include Ide Be Gone, Salty Langfuhn, Reckless Ways, and Winter Whiskey.

Ide Be Gone is trained by Tiller for The Very Dry Stable, a combination that won with Size Matters on Friday.

Ide Be Gone has won 2 of his 4 most recent starts, including a $25,000 sprint in August. After running fourth against $40,000 opposition Sept. 9, he finished second in a $32,000 route, then won a 1 1/8-mile race for $25,000 stock two weeks ago.

Salty Langfuhn was claimed from a 10-length win for $19,000 in early September by owner-trainer Audre Cappuccitti, who sent him out to win a $25,000 sprint with the aid of a speed bias Oct. 7. He looks like the main speed of this race and will take some catching if he is still in peak form.

Reckless Ways's last victory came in a $40,000 conditioned claimer in July. He had a wide journey most recently when third for $32,000.

Winter Whiskey, a late-running 4-year-old, is winless since his 2-year-old campaign, during which he won the Kingarvie and Swynford Stakes. He could round out the triactor.

* The Pick 7 carryover is $22,068.