Noholdingback Bear at top of his game for Bold Venture

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Noholdingback Bear turned heads when he lowered Woodbine’s synthetic-track record for 6 1/2 furlongs in the allowance prep for the Bold Venture Stakes on July 1. The 3-year-old will take on older opponents Saturday in the $150,000 Bold Venture at the same distance of the prep.

Noholdingback Bear finished second in two stakes over the winter at Gulfstream, including the Grade 3 Hutcheson on dirt. He has won his last three starts, all in stakes on Tapeta under Eurico Da Silva, by a combined 10 1/4 lengths. Most recently, against older horses in the prep, Noholdingback Bear went straight to the front, set fast, wind-aided fractions, and then drew off to complete the distance in 1:14.44, breaking the record by 0.06 seconds.

“He seemed to come out of the race in good order,” said trainer Mike De Paulo. “I guess every time you see a track record, you wonder how it happens. Was the track extra fast? It was pretty good for a 3-year-old to do that at the beginning of the summer. Usually, track records are set by older horses.”

De Paulo said he opted to stay home for the Bold Venture rather than shipping to Saratoga for the Grade 2 Amsterdam on July 30, but not necessarily because of the surface.

“I don’t know if he’s just a better horse now [than in Florida] or if he’s just that much better on synthetics,” De Paulo said. “It’s hard to say. Da Silva seems to like him on the dirt.”

Da Silva rides him back Saturday.

Five others were entered in the Grade 3 Bold Venture. It is the eighth race on a 10-race card that also includes the $125,000 My Dear Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

Raglan Road could be favored in the My Dear Stakes off a second behind the strongly favored Conquest Vivi in the restricted Nandi Stakes here. Trained by John Ross, Raglan Road won her only other start. She blew out three-eighths in 36.20 seconds Wednesday.

Among her opponents in the My Dear is Forest Circle, who earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure for romping on the Polytrack at Arlington in her recent debut.

Bold Venture Stakes

KEY CONTENDERS

Noholdingback Bear, by Put It Back

Last 3 Beyers: 101-96-89

◗ He shipped to Presque Isle Downs and won the $100,000 Tom Ridge Stakes in front-running style May 23 after taking the Woodstock Stakes from a stalking position here in April.

Calgary Cat, by Cowtown Cat

Last 3 Beyers: 95-82-83

◗ Canada’s champion male sprinter in 2014, he captured his second start off a layoff June 18 in the restricted Achievement Stakes here.

DRF Formulator fact: Trainer Kevin Attard is 3 for 12 with last-out winners in non-graded stakes over the past five years, with a return on investment of $1.09.