Outlaw Kid perfectly positioned to steal Vice Regent for third straight year
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Outlaw Kid is made-to-order for Sunday’s $150,000 Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine. After all, the 6-year-old has won the five-furlong inner turf dash for Ontario-breds each of the last two years. With Lasix added, the closer has loads of speed to chase and is getting some big-time class relief after shipping in from Saratoga.
After his 2024 Vice Regent tally, trainer George Weaver sent Outlaw Kid back here for the Grade 2 Nearctic in October. After hitting the front in midstretch, he faded to fourth behind Canadian champion sprinter Patches O’Houlihan.
Outlaw Kid was given an extended vacation after a wide fifth in the Nov. 9 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. When returning to action in the July 4 Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga, he finished a creditable third, splitting the next-out stakes winners Bring Theband Home, who won the Harvey Pack, and Witty, who was fifth. Bring Theband Home returned to win the Grade 2 Troy with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure and is arguably the leading turf sprinter on the continent.
Sahin Civaci has the mount on Outlaw Kid from post 4 in a nine-horse field that could have several scratches.
Stretch-runner Forester’s Fortune was along for second in last year’s Vice Regent and could complete the exacta again. The 8-year-old has improved with each subsequent appearance at this meet, finishing second after taking the long way home in a July 27 conditioned allowance on the main turf. Daisuke Fukumoto will ride the win-shy Forester’s Fortune again for trainer Rodney Barrow.
Silent Reserve, Giant Teddy, Its Time to Shine, and Babbo all prefer racing up front. Among them, Its Time to Shine may have the best chance because he has a passing gear.
Its Time to Shine cleared two allowance conditions on the Tapeta in the spring before being demoted from second to third by disqualification in a June 12 turf race. He has since finished second in another conditioned allowance and then rode a golden rail to victory after getting pressed through quick fractions in the July 27 Pink Lloyd Stakes for Ontario-sired stock.
Jose Campos will get a leg up from hot trainer John Ross on Its Time to Shine, who is a half-brother to 2023 King’s Plate winner Paramount Prince.
Silent Reserve should be winging it up front after breaking from the rail under Rafael Hernandez. He’s moving up off a win and $32,000 claim by trainer Marty Drexler, who has scored at a 20 percent clip off a claim in turf sprints during the last five years. Drexler is also sending out the classy veteran Artemus Citylimits, who was promoted from third to second after Its Time to Shine impeded him June 20.
Giant Teddy was claimed off Drexler for $32,000 by trainer Sylvain Pion on July 20 when he prevailed at the same allowance class that Silent Reserve recently contested. The 6-year-old was shareless in two grass starts during his formative years.
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