Rapid Release running for $40,000 tag

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Rapid Release, who ran in this year's Queen's Plate, will compete with a selling price for the first time in Thursday's eighth and final race, a $40,000 claimer for nonwinners of two.

Rapid Release won his maiden in July 2008 in England and was second in a handicap on Polytrack there in October before being sent here to trainer Roger Attfield.

Rapid Release finished a respectable third in the nine-furlong Plate Trial Stakes on May 31, but ran eighth three weeks later in the Plate. He missed the board in his last two starts, both first-level allowances that were taken off the turf.

Thursday's race is scheduled for a mile on the grass, and Rapid Release has a win, a second, and a third from three starts on that surface.

Medidocihospisurg also is dropping from the first allowance level. He is trying the turf for the first time and is a half-brother to Breeders' Stakes winner Sweetest Thing.

Kendal Mint should be well-backed in the lone nonclaiming event on the card, the fifth, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special for fillies and mares on the grass.

Kendal Mint hasn't competed on the grass since she wound up a tired seventh in her debut last October. She was slow to come around this year but she turned the corner abruptly with a half-length loss at 31-1 in her next-to-last outing.

Most recently, going three-quarters, Kendal Mint was blocked behind rivals early in the stretch before rallying on a dead rail for second. Todd Kabel is back in the saddle.

Patty O'Shamrock is an interesting second-time starter who never threatened when she debuted last month on the Polytrack. The daughter of Sea Wall is a half-sister to four turf winners, including Golden Glade, who recently ran second in a first-level allowance.

Mrs. Mathias is by a successful grass sire, Bold Executive, and it wouldn't be surprising to see her fare well in her first turf experience. She had a stalking trip on a dead rail before fading to fourth in last race.

Playme Or Trademe, Wake Up Corey, and Carrtowns Katie will be scratched from the fifth because they were all entered in Friday's fifth race, a nine-furlong Ontario-sired maiden special on the turf.