Quick in Deed favored in turf debut

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Quick in Deed figures to be favored in his initial turf race on Wednesday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Bold Ruckus Stakes, a six-furlong race for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

Quick in Deed has won 3 of 6 starts for Glenn Harvey's Kelynack Racing Stable. After winning first time out at 2, he placed in a pair of Ontario sire stakes in the fall, despite suffering shin problems.

Trainer Abraham Katryan said Quick in Deed's shins bothered him the most when he finished second to Enough is Enough in his final 2004 outing, the Frost King Stakes on Oct. 27.

"We gave him the winter off after the Frost King, and he trained super when we started him back this year," Katryan said.

Quick in Deed was second to future stakes winner Verne's Baby in his 2005 debut, and subsequently won a nonwinners-of-two Ontario sire allowance with a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. Most recently, he led all the way in a nonwinners-of-three allowance, winning comfortably with an 88 Beyer.

Katryan believes that an equipment change this year has helped Quick in Deed become more effective.

"We thought he wasn't focusing enough, so we put the blinkers on, and it made a big difference with him," he said.

Quick in Deed is by Alydeed, a dirt sire, but his dam has thrown three turf winners, including two stakes winners in Germany. Katryan said Quick in Deed negotiated the turf training course nicely on Friday.

"I had him go an easy quarter over the turf, and he traveled really good over it," Katryan said. "He galloped an entire mile and a half on it. The turf is very firm right now, and I guess any horse can run on a firm turf, especially if they've got some speed."

Ray Sabourin, who rode Quick in Deed in all of his races, has the mount.

Bold Grenadier, a descendant of Bold Ruckus through his sire Bold Executive, could be the main challenger. He has won both of his starts on the main track in Ontario sire competition, including a six-furlong allowance race on June 1.

Scott Fairlie, who trains Bold Grenadier and owns him in partnership with Amarpreet Bhangoo, thinks the colt won't mind the surface switch.

"I think he'll really like it," Fairlie said. "A lot of Bold Executives do.

"He's always done everything right," Fairlie added. "He's very laid back, and very smart. He's the kind of horse who doesn't do any more than he has to."