Penner Ash finding top form just in time for feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Penner Ash might be rounding back into peak form in time for Thursday’s Woodbine headliner and could clear the nonwinners-of-three condition in the hybrid event for Ontario-sired allowance types and $40,000 claimers.

Owned by Bhutta Racing, trainer John Mattine claimed Penner Ash for $15,000 on July 20, when the 5-year-old son of Curlin finished fourth on the inner turf off a 13-month layoff. When switching to the Tapeta in a first-level allowance Aug. 17, the Irish-bred set a lively pace before weakening late to second while putting up a career-high 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

Penner Ash went unplaced in his next two outings on the grass before a deceptively good second at this level on the Tapeta three weeks ago. Over a speed-favoring surface, he closed from sixth to finish a game second in the seven-furlong sprint.

On Thursday, Penner Ash stretches back out to 1 1/16 miles under Eswan Flores, who’s 2 for 19 at the meet for the barn.

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Cool Kiss could go favored in his first start with a claiming tag. The 4-year-old competed in two legs of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown, finishing seventh in the King’s Plate and fourth in the Prince of Wales. Perhaps his best race was when he was promoted from third to second by disqualification in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby in October 2023.

Cool Kiss lost a nail-biter to stablemate Stanley House after a wide trip in a conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option in May. His form has since declined and some class relief should be just what the doctor ordered. Leo Salles takes over for trainer Mike DePaulo on the son of Kantharos.

Pat’ssewingmachine is the lone entrant not running for the tag in the eight-horse field. He won a Group 1 event in Barbados in February in advance of a third-place finish under Rocco Bowen in the March 2 Barbados Gold Cup. Woodbine track announcer Robert Geller was in attendance for the Gold Cup, which was won by the American shipper Portfolio Company, and was impressed by “Pat” in the nine-furlong turf route.

“He ran a great race against the Chad Brown shipper,” Geller recalled. “Rocco rode a clever race coming up the rail. He beat the favorite, clearly, and outran his odds.”

Pat’ssewingmachine started twice here late in the summer, finishing eighth in a leg of a Woodbine Turf Endurance Series before trailing in a conditioned allowance on the Tapeta. Trainer Ryan Jones is removing the blinkers from the 6-year-old, on which Juan Crawford retains the mount.

Just for Luck and Myra’s Boy also are in with a chance.

Just for Luck has stuck to the turf with some success since graduating for $25,000 over Gulfstream’s Tapeta in December.

Myra’s Boy earned an 85 Beyer when beating nonwinners-of-two rivals in his penultimate race, after which he bounced in a tougher spot.

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