Lumberyard's early speed an asset in return to turf
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lumberyard’s Tapeta form has gone south, but a switch to grass could be just what the doctor ordered in Friday’s sixth race at Woodbine.
A 4-year-old trained by Nathan Squires, Lumberyard made the board in 6 of 8 outings last year, which included a trio of runner-up placings on the inner turf. The son of Collected came from a stalking position to graduate with authority over $40,000 maidens in his May 3 season opener on the main track. Over inside-favoring surfaces, Lumberyard raced farther back than usual in the early going on the outside in each of his last two starts against nonwinners-of-two stock, finishing up the track both times.
Lumberyard meets nonwinners of two in a 6 1/2-furlong main turf sprint on Friday for a $25,000 tag, with Xarel Forde getting the mount. If he reverts to a front-running style, that could be an asset with the rail in lane 4.
The Mark Casse-trained 3-year-old Heat is another wild card in the nine-horse field. After landing his debut in a maiden special weight on Tapeta in the spring of last year at Gulfstream, Heat was up the track in two consecutive dirt stakes in Kentucky. Heat has been sidelined since a seventh-place finish among three next-out winners in a rich allowance on the grass Aug. 29 at Kentucky Downs. The first-time gelding is getting the proverbial makeover while adding blinkers and Lasix, with Emma-Jayne Wilson along for the ride.
Going back five years, Casse has won at a 16 percent clip with runners competing for the first time with a claiming tag, with a return on investment of $1.42 and an average payoff of $9.05.
Arami’s Speighster fits the horse-for-the-course angle. The late-blooming 3-year-old wired $25,000 maidens over the same course and distance as Friday’s engagement in his first turf try June 13. Leading rider Pietro Moran retains the mount on Arami’s Speighster for trainer Kevin Attard. Heading into this week, the Moran-Attard team was a combined 17 for 53 at the meet.
Drop Your Gloves didn’t have the best of trips when a well-beaten fifth against a quality field at age 2 in his only turf start. He benefited from an inside bias until the stretch on Tapeta when a belated third on the drop to this level June 15.
Tiger Town is trying grass for the first time after earning his diploma over $15,000 maidens on May 30. The son of 14 percent turf sprint sire Mo Town is out of a mare who produced two winners from six turf starters.
El Alacran has worked decently for his first outing since Dec. 15, when he bombed against nonwinners-of-two stock in his debut outside the maiden ranks. He ran well on the turf at Fair Grounds early last year before tailing off.
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