Sandrone ships in to try Tapeta for first time

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sandrone has a similar profile as another recent Saratoga shipper to Woodbine, Slipstream, and it will be interesting to see if he fares better than that runner in Thursday’s featured sixth race.

A field of seven was drawn for the nonwinners-of-two sprint combining Ontario-sired allowance types with $40,000 claimers, and Sandrone goes from post 6 under Patrick Husbands.

A turf-sprint specialist, Sandrone is winless in eight starts since earning his diploma in a maiden special for New York-breds in December 2021 at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old has been campaigned sporadically ever since and got an 81 Beyer Speed Figure twice when placing in restricted allowance company.

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Sandrone was softened up in a speed duel when fifth the last time he saw action in a $50,000 starter allowance July 20 at Saratoga, a 5 1/2-furlong dash that contained two next-out winners. He has worked regularly since late October over two different training tracks at the Spa for trainer James Bond, who has a 5 percent strike rate with 61- to 180-day layoff runners.

As for Slipstream, he was a chilly 5-1 in the betting off a three-month break in a conditioned allowance here Nov. 12. After mounting a threatening wide bid from seventh entering the stretch, he flattened out to finish fifth in his first Tapeta start. It looks like he needed a race over the track, which also could be the case for Sandrone, who is by the 14 percent synthetic sprint sire Run Away and Hide, the sire of Canadian champion Are You Kidding Me.

Several of the other contenders in the race possess speed, including Chairman Rainbow, who wired Ontario-sired/$40,000 maidens last out with a 70 Beyer. He doesn’t need the lead to be effective, however, as evidenced by his neck loss two back where he was disqualified for interference at the break.

Rafael Hernandez will ride Chairman Rainbow again for trainer Norm McKnight. They’re a combined 5 for 32 at the meet. Expect him to track Puddingontheritz and Super Sicily early in this 5 1/2-furlong event.

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Puddingontheritz has struggled since last fall at 2, when he notched his debut before running third in an allowance. The son of Frac Daddy faded to fifth after leading the way last out in a $25,000 conditioned claimer. Eswan Flores takes over, and the journeyman has won 10 races at the meet for trainer Mike Mattine.

Super Sicily put away a rival up front when graduating in her penultimate race in an open maiden special. She came up empty after failing to make her way to the early lead most recently in allowance company. The lone filly in the field is being reunited with Leo Salles, who was aboard for her graduation.

Zakhari is hard to gauge in his first outing since June 10, when he was a troubled ninth in an inner turf route that contained three next-out winners.

Rounding out the field are Society’s Thunder and Wealllikedhim.

Post time for the eight-race card is 4:40 p.m.

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