Sky Treasure gets distance test in Dance Smartly
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sky Treasure came with a strong run under Gary Boulanger to win the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes in her last start May 23 and will be looking to double up in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on Woodbine’s turf course.
Sky Treasure had been knocking on the door prior to the Nassau, with several close finishes since her last victory over 6 1/2 furlongs on the Woodbine turf last August. Trainer Mark Casse thought a wide trip had compromised Sky Treasure two starts back in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes on April 26 at Santa Anita.
“She has been really, really unlucky,” he said. “I thought she should have won her start previously at Santa Anita. She ran 50 feet farther than everybody else that day. Gary gave her a perfect ride [in the Nassau].”
Despite her win in the Nassau, the added furlong in the Dance Smartly could be an issue for Sky Treasure, who has made just one start beyond a mile.
“There’s some question as to whether she’ll go a mile and an eighth,” Casse said. “If Gary can get her to shut off early and then come with her run when he asks her to do it, then I think she’ll get a mile and an eighth.”
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Dance Smartly (RACE 7)
KEY CONTENDERS
Sky Treasure (Last 3 Beyers: 94-89-87)
◗ Her rally in the Nassau was aided by a decent pace to chase, and the Dance Smartly field looks light on speed.
Watsdachances (Last 3 Beyers: 93-95-93)
◗ Irish-bred ships to Woodbine for trainer Chad Brown off a win in the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico on May 16.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Brown is just 1 for 14 in Woodbine graded stakes over the past five years.
Strut the Course (Last 3 Beyers: 90-67-92)
◗ Raced in traffic along the rail in her first start of the year in the Nassau and was beaten just two lengths. She’s come out of that race with two bullet works and has recorded Beyer Speed Figures in the 90s in both races in which Luis Contreras has been in the irons.
Smartyfly (Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-87)
◗ Won a lengthy stretch battle with Habibi on June 6 and could move up off that effort while benefiting from a weight break over other key contenders in the field.
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Dynamic Sky home in Singspiel
Dynamic Sky will return to his home turf course when he takes on seven rivals in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Singspiel Stakes over 1 1/2 miles at Woodbine.
Dynamic Sky was third in last year’s Singspiel and placed in three other graded turf routes at Woodbine last season, including a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer and a third in the Grade 1 Canadian International. Casse said a return to Woodbine and being reunited with jockey Patrick Husbands could lead to improvement from Dynamic Sky.
“He definitely likes this turf course, and he definitely likes Patrick Husbands,” he said. “He’s a very difficult horse to ride, and Patrick knows him very well now.”
Dynamic Sky already has raced six times this season, including five starts on turf, but hasn’t won since the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct in November. Casse said he hopes the good Dynamic Sky shows up for the Singspiel.
“Some days he shows up, and some days he doesn’t,” he said. “When he shows up, he’s tough, and when he doesn’t, he just kind of runs along.”
SINGSPIEL (RACE 9)
KEY CONTENDERS
Dynamic Sky (Last 3 Beyers: 94-95-92)
◗ He most recently was third in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup Invitational on June 5; ninth-place finisher Red Rifle came back to win the Grade 3 Dominion Day here Wednesday.
Hyper (Last 3 Beyers: 98-98-85)
◗ Has paired 98 Beyers after an 18-month layoff and could move forward in his third start off the bench.
◗ He has experience over this turf course, having finished second in the 2013 Canadian International.
Aldous Snow (Last 3 Beyers: 84-89-81)
◗ The winner of this race last year, Aldous Snow should show improvement while switching to grass after his previous start came off the turf.
◗ He was a close fifth behind runner-up Dynamic Sky in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April.
Beliveau in Clarendon
Casse also holds a strong hand in Sunday’s $150,000 Clarendon Stakes for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds over 5 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack. Beliveau will run back two weeks after going in the Victoria Stakes on turf, where he crossed the line first but was disqualified and placed second for interfering with Hollywood Hideaway.
Get’erdonebud also exits the Victoria, where he finished fourth. Trainer John Ross, who has strong numbers with 2-year-olds, also will debut Ultraflame, a vet scratch from a maiden race June 17.