Minimum Forty needs to get the jump to stay unbeaten

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Unbeaten Minimum Forty moves up to nonwinners-of-three company in Friday’s Woodbine feature that combines Ontario-sired allowance types with $40,000-claiming females. Can she survive a speed duel with the sharp Gulfstream shipper Brittany’s Way?

A 4-year-old trained by Robert Tiller, Minimum Forty made quite a splash when debuting Nov. 22, leading all the way in a six-furlong maiden race to prevail by 5 1/4 lengths. She earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure in that blowout score.

Following a winter layoff April 18, Minimum Forty was bet down to 3-5 favoritism in a nonwinners-of-two allowance. After breaking inward from the rail in the 5 1/2-furlong dash, she vied for command with the speedy Barbara Joan before drawing off on her left lead to win by 4 3/4 lengths with a low 68 Beyer.

Daisuke Fukumoto retains the mount on Minimum Forty, who is a full sister to the Tiller-trained Maximum Fifty, the winningest runner at Woodbine in 2025. The daughter of the late Souper Speedy is a homebred owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable.

Brittany’s Way had a productive four-race campaign here last year before heading to Gulfstream, where she placed in three straight $35,000 nonwinners-of-two claimers going five furlongs in the winter. Most recently, on March 20, she made all the running on the Tapeta to prevail with a 68 Beyer. Runner-up Chispuda came right back to win a lesser conditioned contest there.

Leading rider Pietro Moran takes over on Brittany’s Way for trainer Tara Neigel, who went 2 for 4 to begin this meet.

Wozniacki could be the beneficiary of a pace meltdown in her first start since a flat fourth at this level Nov. 27. She won her debut last spring and subsequently ran fifth in back-to-back stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies before eventually clearing the nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired condition.

Tino Attard trains Wozniacki for his grandson Joshua and granddaughter Tanya. The daughter of Reload is reacquiring blinkers and jockey Rafael Hernandez.

Girls Weekend is a fresh new face at Woodbine. The 5-year-old is starting for the first time since a disappointing three-race stint last year in Kentucky. She has predominantly worked here on the dirt training track for trainer Barbara Minshall, who has good numbers with new acquisitions and long-term layoff types.

Rarefied dusted $25,000 nonwinners-of-two opposition in November before taking the winter off. She was claimed for $25,000 from her dull season opener by trainer Ryan Jones, who breezed her a quick half-mile in 48.20 seconds on May 7.

Suigu Belle, who wasn’t an impact player at this class in the fall, is coming off the sidelines after posting some fast works for trainer Mike Mattine.

Completing the seventh-race field is Enchanted Forest, who ran against a speed bias when a distant fifth while boosted up to this level in her second race off the bench.

Post time for the eight-race card is 1:20 p.m.