Rahy's Attorney back on top of his game

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Grade 1 winner Rahy's Attorney will try to land his second consecutive Grade 2 stakes Sunday at Woodbine in the $300,000 Nijinsky. The 1 1/4-mile turf race has brought together an accomplished field, which also includes Spice Route, Champs Elysees, Marchfield and Marlang.

Rahy's Attorney outran a stellar field to capture the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last September. He was unplaced in his final 2008 outing in a $2 million stakes in Japan, but he ran a corker off a six-month layoff here May 24 in the Grade 3 Connaught Cup Stakes, leading until the final jump.

Rahy's Attorney stretched out a sixteenth of a mile to nine furlongs most recently in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes, and made all the running through moderate fractions.

Trainer Ian Black is pleased with the way Rahy's Attorney has commenced his 5-year-old campaign.

"After going to Japan and spending the winter [in Ontario], I thought the Connaught was huge," said Black. "Then, he came back and did it again in the King Edward. With the benefit of a race, he was able to get it done."

Black said Rahy's Attorney might assume a stalking position behind the speedy Marlang on Sunday.

"I don't think he needs the lead," said Black. "In those races, nobody wanted the lead, so we took advantage of it. If Marlang wants the lead, he can have it."

Spice Route, the runner-up in last year's Grade 1 Canadian International, was victorious in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes in April at Keeneland. Spice Route was a close second two starts ago in the Grade 2 Louisville Handicap at Churchill. He is exiting a lackluster fourth-place finish behind the front-running winner, Presious Passion, in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth.

Trainer Roger Attfield said he would prefer firm turf for Spice Route. Champs Elysees, on the other hand, enjoys some give in the ground.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Champs Elysees captured the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes over a course labeled yielding here last September. He subsequently ran third on firm turf in the 1 1/2-mile Canadian International.

Marchfield is coming off an impressive closing victory on Polytrack in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes. He took the 1 1/2-mile Breeder's Stakes over this course in 2007.

Marlang, the 2008 Breeders' winner, set the pace before fading to third in his lone outing this year in a June 28 optional claimer.