Shootin' Amy's speed gives her an edge in turf sprint

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Shootin’ Amy makes her first Tapeta start in Friday’s Woodbine feature and could take some catching in the nonwinners-of-two sprint for Ontario-sired allowance runners and $40,000 claimers.

Owned and trained by Paul Buttigieg, Shootin’ Amy has started twice, in a pair of inner-turf dashes. When debuting for $25,000 on July 4, she stalked a lively pace in third before surging late to finish a close second to Duchess Queen.

Shootin’ Amy was more aggressive most recently when boosted up to Ontario-sired/$40,000 maiden company. She darted out to a clear early lead and then put away a challenger on the turn before drawing off for a daylight tally as the favorite.

Shootin’ Amy is by the low-percentage turf sire Reload, who has excellent numbers with his progeny in synthetic sprints. David Moran retains the mount on the homebred, who breezed an easy half-mile in 49.60 seconds on the Tapeta last Saturday.

With her speed, Shootin’ Amy could have an advantage going the 5 1/2-furlong distance over Magical Trick, one of two entrants trained by Steve Attard, along with Faithful Creek.

Magical Trick took eight starts to earn her diploma, doing so in her final 2023 outing. The stretch-runner finished up the track behind the future stakes performers Little Teddy and Hurricane Clair in her May 25 season opener.

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Magical Trick was a much improved fourth on June 30 while earning a career-best 64 Beyer Speed Figure, the same last number that Shootin’ Amy got in her second start. Most recently, Magical Trick came from farther back than usual to finish a good third at 34-1.

Faithful Creek is donning blinkers following her second consecutive dull performance on the inner turf. She notched her debut at 2 traveling 5 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta in October, after which she ran third behind two next-out winners in open allowance company.

Luis Contreras rides Magical Trick again while apprentice Fraser Aebly takes over on Faithful Creek.

Wildfire can compete with these on her best day. In her penultimate race, she was beaten just a half-length when a stalking second with a 67 Beyer. She came up empty last time out when seventh behind Magical Trick. Juan Crawford, who has been aboard for all seven of her races, has the mount for trainer Beverley Chubb.

Home for a Rest possesses early foot, but she didn’t show any last time when finishing second after mounting a wide bid from seventh. She earned her diploma after dueling up front in a Dec. 16 sprint for $25,000 maidens under leading bug rider Sofia Vives, who rides her again Friday for trainer Robert Tiller.

Completing the seventh-race lineup is Master Aragorn, who hasn’t show much since landing her debut with the aid of a speed bias in an open maiden special last October. Hot apprentice Pietro Moran will get a leg up on her from trainer Mike DePaulo, who’s adding blinkers to her equipment.

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