One turn suits Southern Chance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Southern Chance, who ran against an apparent track bias in his last start, has a realistic chance of landing the first allowance condition in Thursday's $63,500 Woodbine feature.

Southern Chance was claimed for $40,000 from a loss in conditioned company in June by owner-trainer Audre Cappuccitti, who didn't hesitate to run him back at the first allowance level on July 24.

He raced prominently throughout that six-furlong dash to be third, ending up 1 1/2 lengths behind next-out winner Classic Manner.

Southern Chance ran around two turns most recently, finishing third again in allowance company after a three-wide stalking trip over an inside-biased track.

Turning back to six furlongs on Friday could be just what the doctor order for Southern Chance, who will have third-leading rider Todd Kabel back in the saddle.

Rounding out the field for Friday's headliner are Runnin West, Saint Appeal, Chris's Counter, One Tough Note, Pat's Expectation, Deputy Jazz, Dillinger, Storm Lover, and As Expected.

Saint Appeal, the probable favorite, has been conspicuous by his recent absence from competition. Trained by Roger Attfield, Saint Appeal won a maiden race in a romp here in the fall, and subsequently finished second in a Gulfstream Park allowance, earning a whopping Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Saint Appeal flopped as the favorite on April 12 at Keeneland, and hasn't run since finishing second at 4-5 in another preliminary allowance here on May 4. He was the morning line favorite for an Aug. 14 race here, but ended up being a vet scratch, and has worked bullets over the training track in the interim.

Saint Appeal, who is shedding blinkers, is coupled in a Stronach Stable entry with Stormy Lover, who was recently third in a turf sprint. Stormy Lover won his two previous starts, both in Ontario-sired company, for trainer Malcolm Pierce.

Dillinger, unbeaten in two claimers last year at 2, has run six solid races in seven starts this year, but hasn't won.

Dillinger finished a behind heavily favored Mighty Quinn when second over yielding turf in the June 5 Bold Ruckus Stakes. He then ran third behind Rare Friends in the Afleet Stakes on the main track, and was recently third behind Mighty Quinn and Kenora Stakes winner Mulligan the Great on the grass in the Vice Regent Stakes. Steve Attard trains.

Deputy Jazz, trained by Mike Wright, saw his two-race win streak end when he finished second in an Aug. 14 allowance won by Terry Kelly.

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