Red Giveaway targeting Frost King Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Norseman Racing Stable and trainer Sid Attard got their second win in the Bull Page Stakes last Sunday with the unbeaten Red Giveaway. They won the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds with Mean Green in 2008, but the promising Red Giveaway is definitely a cut above that modest runner.

Red Giveaway won his July 28 debut easily, in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race for Ontario-sired stock and $40,000 claimers. Attard then waited for the first Ontario-sired stakes on the calendar, and his patience was rewarded when Red Giveaway outran the other speed to win the Bull Page by the same 4 1/4-length winning margin that he posted in his bow. His final time was a quick 1:09.10, and he earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the third-highest by a 2-year-old at Woodbine this year.

Attard said the next target for Red Giveaway is the $100,000 Frost King, a seven-furlong Ontario-sired stakes Nov. 9.

“I think he’ll be okay at seven-eighths,” Attard said. “I think he’s a really nice colt. He’s runs fast, and he doesn’t slow down. We expected him to be this nice. He showed in the morning that he’s a runner. He showed us right away that he can run.”

Attard has had a frustrating time trying to make Stronach Stable’s Intanga Rose into a stakes winner. In two June starts, she set the pace and finished fourth in the Woodbine Oaks, then was softened up in a speed duel when third in the Bison City Stakes. Jockey Luis Contreras was able to get her to relax well off the pace when second in her last two races, but she broke slowly both times, including in her turf debut in last Sunday’s Ontario Damsel Stakes.

“Maybe she’s relaxing too much now,” Attard said.

Attard said Intanga Rose is scheduled to run back in the $125,000 Carotene Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile grass event for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies on Oct. 20.

Attard said the new millionaire Kingsport is done for the year after winning the Aug. 28 Elgin Stakes in a gritty performance, after which the 7-year-old was vanned off.

“He went to the farm,” Attard said. “He came back not too good from the last race, but he didn’t break down. He was walking and everything. If he ever comes back, he has to be very, very good. Otherwise, we’re not going to run him. He’s been very good for us.”

Heading into this week, Attard ranked seventh in the standings, with 18 wins from 102 starters. His return on investment of $2.23 was the highest among Woodbine’s 15 leading trainers.

◗ Friday’s featured second-level optional claimer goes as the first on an eight-race card. Salute With Honor and Nipigon head the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route.