Silent Reserve looks like one to catch in turf sprint

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mike Mattine looks to be holding a strong hand in Friday’s Woodbine headliner when he runs Silent Reserve and Fighter in the Win in the conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option.

With the hot apprentice Austin Adams aboard, Silent Reserve is the one to catch in the five-furlong inner turf dash. The son of Silent Name lost a heartbreaker against Ontario-breds in the Vice Regent Stakes last year, when he also finished second in the Lake Huron Stakes for Ontario-sired sophomores.

Silent Reserve has been campaigned lightly during this rainy year, due to limited opportunities going five-eighths on the inner course. He cleared the second allowance condition in his second start off the bench May 19, when he beat the tough duo of Capture the Lion and Niagara Skyline while putting up a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Silent Reserve was bet down to 5-2 in this year’s Vice Regent on Aug. 25, in which he was dueled into submission by Rockcrest. That 15 1/4-length loss was the worst performance of his career. He was entered with a $32,000 claiming tag and scratched from a race that was taken off the turf Sept. 22 and has since worked in his usual fast manner on the Tapeta. He is entered for the $50,000 tag on Friday.

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The sprinter-miler Fighter in the Win, also entered for the $50,000 tag, could be along to pick up some of the pieces. He was competitive against first-level allowance and $32,000 claiming opposition this year and was claimed from a wide fifth most recently when going a mile on the main turf.

Fighter in the Win is picking up rising riding star Fraser Aebly, who swept both stakes on longshots here last Saturday. Aebly is 0 for 4 for Mattine, who has solid stats in turf sprints and low numbers with turnbacks.

Forester’s Fortune has been a model of consistency since the spring, but the 7-year-old has gone winless since taking the 2022 Vice Regent in an upset.

After getting disqualified from first to second on July 21, Forester’s Fortune rallied for second in two legs of the Woodbine Turf Sprint Series, in which he accumulated the most points while earning his connections bonus money. In between those races, he wound up second in the Vice Regent behind favored Outlaw Kid, who subsequently ran fourth in the Grade 2 Nearctic.

Apprentice Desean Gaskin will ride Forester’s Fortune again for trainer Rodney Barrow, a terrific horseman who has been shut out at the meet.

Cotton was claimed by trainer Mike Wright Jr. for $47,500 on July 25. He went on to contest two legs of the Woodbine Turf Sprint Series, fading to third behind Forester’s Fortune most recently after dueling up front in a six-furlong race that was moved to the Tapeta.

Rounding out the field in the fifth race are Air Kombat, who’s moving up off a subpar showing and a $30,000 claim, and another longshot, Sooner Lunar.

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