Olympic Runner looks to end win drought in Nearctic

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Olympic Runner, who has been knocking heads with likes of champions Pink Lloyd and Starship Jubilee, will cut back to six furlongs on turf in Sunday’s Grade 2 Nearctic on the E.P. Taylor undercard at Woodbine.

Olympic Runner is winless in six starts since taking the 2019 King Corrie Stakes for 3-year-olds, but he has come into his own this year. He gave the mighty Pink Lloyd a scare when a fast-closing second in a pair of Grade 3 Tapeta sprints, the Bold Venture and Vigil. Most recently in the Woodbine Mile, he came from seventh to finish fourth behind Starship Jubilee, March to the Arch, and War of Will, earning a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 1 turf route.

Trainer Mark Casse said the $250,000 Nearctic is the best current option for Olympic Runner.

“There’s nothing perfect for him,” Casse explained. “I thought his race in the Woodbine Mile was very good. At one time as a 3-year-old, I thought he could be a Derby prospect after he broke his maiden at Gulfstream impressively. A lot of his issues have been in his brain. He’s very nervous, but he’s matured some. We gelded him.”

Casse also entered Blind Ambition and Lady Grace, who’s been idle since beating females in the Grade 2 Royal North here July 18.

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City Boy won last year’s Nearctic in an upset on yielding ground, and has been pointed to the race again by trainer Mike Keogh. He missed time in the summer due to a foot bruise, and then finished third in the Vigil before ending up second in the restricted Vice Regent Stakes going five-eighths on the inner turf Oct. 4.

“He runs well with back-to-back races,” Keogh said. “That’s why I was easier on him leading up to the” Vice Regent.

Silent Poet is 3 for 4 at the meet. The front-runner kicked off his campaign with an allowance score around two turns on the inner turf. He doubled up over seven furlongs on the main course in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, and was softened up in a speed duel when third going a mile in the Grade 2 King Edward. Most recently, he dueled through slow fractions en route to a daylight score in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance.

◗ Casse sends out the unbeaten 2-year-old Helium in Sunday’s $100,000 Display Stakes, which was shortened this year from 1 1/16 miles to seven furlongs. Casse won the 2018 Display with Sir Winston, who went on the capture the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Helium matched his more hyped stablemate Souper Sensational when they both graduated at first asking with a 76 Beyer in seven-furlong maiden specials on the weekend of Sept. 26-27.

“He had trained decent,” Casse said. “He hadn’t trained like she had, so he was a little bit of a surprise. He’s a great-moving horse. We bought him privately as a 2-year-old early in the year for D.J. Stable, a new client of ours.”