Second leg of Turf Sprint Series moves to main course
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Artemus Citylimits and Ready to Collect are five-furlong inner turf specialists. Three-quarters on the vaster main course is a different animal, and they might be vulnerable when extending to that distance over the larger course in Friday’s second leg of the Woodbine Turf Sprint Series.
A 9-year-old trained by Audrey Cheung, Artemus Citylimits is in the midst of one of his most successful seasons. The front-runner won an allowance/optional claimer convincingly two starts back with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
Most recently in the Vice Regent Stakes, Artemus Citylimits led all the way under Eswan Flores to prevail over the favored shipper Outlaw Kid. It was his second straight win in that five-furlong inner turf dash for Ontario-breds.
“He does not act like a 9-year-old,” Cheung said after the Vice Regent. “He’s not that easy to ride in the morning. We tried to make sure he was extra sharp coming into this race. Eswan gave him a great ride. We wanted to be on the lead. I told Eswan to ride your race and just let him run.”
Artemus Citylimits hasn’t won past 5 1/2 furlongs since 2022, a season during which he finished a close second in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs.
Ready to Collect had a lucrative 2025 for owner Jamar Gibson, winning 4 of 8 starts and nearly $250,000 Canadian. After ending up third in the Vice Regent, he reeled off three consecutive victories in the fall against allowance/optional-claiming company, all going five furlongs on the inner course.
Off an eight-month layoff, Ready to Collect finished a wide fifth behind Miss Vyvyanne and Western Whirl in the Grade 2 Highlander on June 27. In another five-furlong inner turf dash Aug.14, he won the opening leg of this series after attending the pace along the rail, for which he earned a career-high 86 Beyer.
Ready to Collect missed the board in both of his main turf sprint starts here during his formative years, but the 5-year-old is a much better runner now. Keveh Nicholls will ride him again for trainer Roger Broomes.
The sixth race could set up for the lone mare in the lineup, Breezero, who rallied inside for second in the first leg of the series. The 5-year-old has maintained solid five-furlong form since last summer and has never competed past 5 1/2 furlongs.
Breezero was claimed off Cheung for $32,000 out of a victory in late June. She was subsequently haltered Aug. 1 for $32,000 by her current trainer, Patrick Dixon, who has given the Friday call to leading rider Pietro Moran. They are a combined 3 for 18 at the meet.
Crumlin Lad finished sixth against four next-out winners in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claimer around two turns on the inner turf June 7. He could make some noise on the turnback with Fraser Aebly inheriting the mount from Flores.
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