Seattle Hill should relish more ground

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It seems like the farther the better for Seattle Hill, and if such is the case, he should be a major player in Sunday's $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile turf race has lured 12 other Canadian-bred 2-year-olds, most notably Cryptonite Kid, who was supplemented at a cost of $6,000.

Seattle Hill finished third as a maiden when making his second start at seven furlongs in the restricted Simcoe Stakes on Sept. 3, much to the delight of trainer David Bell.

"He had an outside post and was closing ground late," Bell said. "I thought it was very positive."

Bell moved Seattle Hill to the turf for a one-mile maiden special Sept. 28, where the son of Slew City Slew rallied strongly for a nose win under Emma Wilson.

"I hadn't worked him on the turf, but Emma always thought he'd be better on it," said Bell. "I think distance is what he really wanted, more than anything else. That's the way he's always trained, and his pedigree is that way."

Cryptonite Kid is trained by Danny Vella, who sent out his broodmare sire, Explosive Red, to win the 1992 Cup and Saucer.

Cryptonite Kid won his maiden second time out going six furlongs, and is exiting a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes.

Jockey Robert Landry said he didn't anticipate Cryptonite Kid being as far back as he was in the early stages of the one-mile Summer.

"I was a little disappointed last time," said Landry. "He fell back a little farther off the pace than I wanted him to be, but he's a 2-year-old, and those things happen. I'll probably be a little more aggressive with him this time."

Armored finished second to Seattle Hill on Sept.o23, when switching to the turf for his second start.

"I thought he was going to win easy," said trainer Mark Casse. "A plane flew over right when he went to the lead - you could actually see the shadow, and he switched to his left lead, ducked to the rail, and stopped running."

Yamana, also trained by Casse, came wide from just off the pace to beat Ontario-sired maidens at seven furlongs in his lone outing on Polytrack.

"He worked good on the turf the other day," said Casse. "He didn't work fast, but he came home the last quarter in 23.20. He'll definitely like the trip - the longer distance."