Royal Wedding can rebound with class drop

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Royal Wedding can rebound off a subpar showing against stakes opposition in Sunday’s featured opener at Woodbine, a second-level optional claimer at a mile on the main turf.

Royal Wedding was transferred from the late Laurie Silvera to trainer Nathan Squires by owner William Thompson Jr. during the off-season. After ending up third in her June 21 season opener, she won a first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles over a yielding main course July 12.

Royal Wedding earned her second straight 79 Beyer Speed Figure when second in a second-level optional claimer around two turns on the inner turf Aug. 1. Most recently Aug. 22, she was bet down to 5-2 in the Eternal Search Stakes for Ontario-sired females, but she could only manage to finish fourth after mounting a mild wide bid from off a slow pace in that inner turf route.

Simon Husbands inherits the mount on Royal Wedding from Leo Salles, who was handed a suspension that was supposed to start a week ago before he recently appealed it. Squires said Husbands breezed the 4-year-old daughter of Court Vision a good half-mile in company in 48.40 seconds on Sept. 5.

“She’s a rider’s dream,” Squires said. “You can place her anywhere in a race. She’s doesn’t tug. Wherever you put her, she’ll stay there. I think she likes the [main] turf, but she will run on anything. She’s easy to train and does everything right. Nothing bugs her. She loves to compete. She’s 100 percent sound. I think she’ll run well.”

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Above All Names has made all three of her starts at the meet in optional-claiming company. Returning from a layoff of nearly seven months July 5, she won a 7 1/2-furlong event on the inner turf. After coming up empty behind Royal Wedding on Aug. 1, she was a wide stalking third behind a peaking Sav and Jeanie B in a seven-furlong sprint on the main course Aug. 15.

Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride Above All Names again for trainer Dale Desruisseaux.

Nantucket Red finished far up the main track the last time she saw action July 18 in the Grade 3 Trillium. She was previously fifth of six when going a mile on the grass in the Grade 2 Nassau, finishing just four lengths behind victorious Elizabeth Way.

A Broken Breeze is seeking her third consecutive win after beating conditioned claimers and first-level allowance types on the Tapeta. She left Royal Wedding behind her in third when second on the grass in her season debut.

Western Curl has stuck to sprinting this year, but a one-turn mile seems suitable for the daughter of Curlin.

Rounding out the field are Rosebud’s Hope and main-track-only entrant Silent Tango.