Neepawa, Rose's Vision look to bounce back in Toronto Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After finishing up the track in the Queen’s Plate, the Chiefswood Stable runners Neepawa and Rose’s Vision will go back to the turf in Saturday’s $100,000 Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine. Eight were entered in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds.

Neepawa and Rose’s Vision faded after pressing a fast pace set by Telekinesis in the Queen’s Plate, finishing 10th and 14th in the 10-furlong test. Chiefswood general manager Robert Landry said he was disappointed with the tactics employed in the Plate.

“We never got a true read on those horses,” Landry said. “Things didn’t work out at all. The last thing we expected was to have the two of them up there fighting with each other.”

For some of the Canadian-breds in the field, the nine-furlong Toronto Cup is a prep for the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on the grass here Aug. 18.

“They both have very good turf records,” Landry said. “Coming off a bad race, we thought this would be the best step for them. We’re hoping to get them both back on track. The trainers are very happy with them.”

Saturday’s 10-race card also has an overnight stakes race, the $100,000 King Corrie Stakes for 3-year-olds.

KEY CONTENDERS

Neepawa, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 65-77-85

◗ After graduating on the Gulfstream turf in January, he finished fifth in back-to-back grass stakes there before coming home to prepare for the Queen’s Plate.

“I really don’t think he has a distance issue at all,” Landry said.

Rose’s Vision, by Artie Schiller
Last 3 Beyers: 57-85-71

◗ Trained by Stu Simon, he beat maidens at Gulfstream and allowance opposition at Keeneland in a pair of turf routes before running second to Telekinesis in the Plate Trial.

“Turf is probably his preferred surface,” Landry said. “He won those two races in good fashion. He kept going [after pressing] quick early fractions.”

March to the Arch, by Arch
Last 3 Beyers: 80-79-72

◗ The versatile gelding is one of three Mark Casse-trained entrants, along with Neepawa and Lookin to Strike. He’s coming off an authoritative allowance score on the Tapeta, but his best race might have been a nose loss in a restricted turf stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Invaders in King Corrie Stakes

Casse entered Blueblood and Souper Smart in this six-furlong sprint, but Run Away and Hemp Hemp Hurray are intriguing newcomers to Woodbine.

Run Away, a Grade 2 winner last summer at Del Mar, is experimenting on a synthetic surface in his first start for trainer Josie Carroll. Hemp Hemp Hurray recently joined the barn of trainer Mike Maker after a dull performance in a Group 3 event at the Royal Ascot meet.