ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Many were taken with Lapochka’s strong pre-race warm-up shown on Woodbine’s television coverage before his May 11 season opener. The venerable 11-year-old ran to his looks and won the seven-furlong sprint for $25,000 claimers going away by 3 1/2 lengths. Lapochka looks to double up while changing surfaces from the Tapeta to the main turf in Friday’s fourth race, a 6 1/2-furlong starter allowance/optional claimer. Trainer Vito Armata said he was pleasantly surprised with the powerful chestnut’s comeback performance. “He was in for $15,000 and the race didn’t go,” Armata recalled. “He likes to warm up. He ran a big race. I was surprised.” Lapochka has found the mark in 19 of 76 starts for earnings $659,720 Canadian. Daisuke Fukumoto will ride him again Friday for Eight Star Racing Stables. “Everybody loves him,” Armata said. “In his last race last fall, he finished second. He had a little bit of a problem when he came back, so I said to the owner let’s put him away and he’ll come back [good] next year, and boom, there he goes. He can run on anything – dirt, the Tapeta, grass. He loves the turf. Back in the day, he won for $62,000 on the turf.” This will be Lapochka’s last local campaign. Woodbine recently barred 10-year-old and older runners from racing or stabling at the track beginning in 2025. The new house rule also will apply to 10-year-old Coleyville, who is making his season debut in Friday’s first race for $7,500 claimers. Trainer Marty Drexler sends out the win-shy 9-year-old Downy Boy and the improving 4-year-old Fast Boat to Skye against Lapochka. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Downy Boy has won 5 of 48 starts while filling out the exotics with regularity. He has gone winless in nine outings since landing his 2023 opener, a series of races for which he got a host of Beyer Speed Figures in the low 80s on both surfaces. A wide trip hindered his chances when sixth for $25,000 in his May 5 comeback.\ Fast Boat to Skye had a successful winter stint over Turfway’s Tapeta before beating $25,000 conditioned claimers with a 69 Beyer going 5 1/2 furlongs here April 28. Rafael Hernandez has ridden both horses and is back on Fast Boat to Skye. Sahin Civaci will ride Downy Boy, with whom he’s familiar. Heading into this week, the two jockeys were tied for second in the standings with 12 wins apiece, three behind apprentice Sofia Vives. Vives has the mount on Musical Stride for trainer Mike DePaulo in the fourth. He cleared the nonwinners of two and three conditions when claimed for $14,000 last fall, but was never in contention in his first start of the year at this level May 18. All but Palio will compete for the $15,000 claiming tag. Palio is protected by waiver in his debut off a winter layoff and a $15,000 claim by trainer Sarah Ritchie, who will give Emma-Jayne Wilson a leg up. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.