Six stakes on Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day card

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine’s Wednesday night card marks the fourth annual Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, with six stakes races worth $900,000 scheduled for graduates of the local yearling sale. In all, $1 million in purses will be available over the eight-race card.

The six stakes events have attracted 50 entries, including graded stakes winners Aldous Snow, Dynamic Sky, and Melmich.

Halton Stakes, Race 2

Aldous Snow and Dynamic Sky will square off in the $125,000 Halton Stakes for 3-year-olds and up over one mile on the turf course.

Aldous Snow will be making his first start since finishing third in the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on turf July 3. He’s been a long-distance specialist in recent years, and the cutback to a mile may be too short for him.

Dynamic Sky, meanwhile, faded in the stretch after setting slow fractions in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf July 24. He should find himself forwardly placed again.

Hampstead Heath has won this event in back-to-back years and is a threat again after finishing a closing second in a $50,000 claiming event on turf Aug. 5.

Elgin Stakes, Race 3

Dominion Day Stakes winner Melmich should be a heavy favorite in the $125,000 Elgin Stakes for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta.

Last year’s Elgin Stakes marked Melmich’s first stakes win, and since then, the 5-year-old gelding has earned Grade 3 wins in the Valedictory and Dominion Day stakes.

Melmich’s main threats in the five-horse field are Freitag, who ran fifth in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup in his most recent start Aug. 1, and Kingsport, who will be stretching out off a win in the 6 1/2-furlong Shepperton Stakes on Aug. 6.

Kenora Stakes, Race 4

River Maid leads a trio of fillies taking on the boys in the $125,000 Kenora Stakes over six furlongs on Tapeta.

River Maid was a closing fifth behind Lady Shipman in the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes on turf July 31, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Prior to that, River Maid had won three straight on Tapeta, including the Ballade Stakes on June 4. The other fillies in the Kenora field are Classyshadesofgrey and Peggy O.

Defending champion Rexton will make his first start of 2016 in the Kenora. Jacks Escarpment will be a threat on the front end after nearly holding on to win the Shepperton Stakes.

Muskoka Stakes, Race 5

Hopping Not Hoping recorded her second straight win in the Shady Well Stakes on Aug. 13 and should have plenty of speed to chase in the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta.

Hopping Not Hoping caught Nerve Line in the final strides to win the Shady Well on the grass. Nerve Line will have to deal with a number of speed threats in this field, including Subzero Plus, Raglan Road, and Gertie T.

Raglan Road has placed in multiple stakes and will be adding blinkers for trainer John Ross.

Simcoe Stakes, Race 6

Ross has a strong entrant in the night’s other 2-year-old race in Lokinforpursemonee in the $200,000 Simcoe Stakes for colts and geldings over 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta.

Lokinforpursemonee came with a strong rally from off the pace to win the Victoria Stakes under Gary Boulanger and should be strong again in the Simcoe.

Pachi Cruze nosed out Lokinforpursemonee to win the Frost King Stakes on June 26 but never threatened in the Vandal Stakes on turf Aug. 14. Other contenders include the recent maiden winner Blu Without You and Royal Bullet, who will add blinkers and Lasix off a fourth-place finish in his debut Aug. 14.

Algoma Stakes, Race 7

Obeah Woman held off Sweater Weather to win an allowance Aug. 13, and the two will square off again in the $125,000 Algoma Stakes for fillies and mares ages 3 and up over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta.

Galina Point exits graded stakes company in search of her first win since the Lady Angela Stakes in May 2015, while Trini Brewnette will take on older foes after closing strongly to be second behind Caren in the Bison City Stakes on Tapeta two starts back July 10.

First post Wednesday is 6:45 p.m.