Sovereign winner Go Greeley, runner-up Jose Sea View meet in Woodstock Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Go Greeley and Jose Sea View could be considered rivals even though they’ve never met on the track. Go Greeley edged out Jose Sea View by one point in the Sovereign Award voting for last year’s Canadian champion 2-year-old male, and they will finally lock horns Sunday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

Go Greeley captured three stakes in six starts during his championship season. The only blemishes on his record were a nose loss after a troubled trip in the Clarendon Stakes and a distant third under 125 pounds in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes.

Owner and trainer John Ross said he gave the massive Go Greeley the winter off in Florida to recharge.

“I gave him the time off that he deserved,” Ross said. “He was down at Payson Park, where we had a lovely winter. I think he’s going to be okay for his first start. I popped him out of the gate three-eighths [in 37.20 seconds] on Wednesday.”

Ross felt that Go Greeley won the Sovereign because he was a little more accomplished than Jose Sea View.

“He won more stakes than him, and another one he only got beat a whisker in,” Ross said. “His only iffy race was the Grey Stakes, when we found out that he doesn’t want to go long.” Jose Sea View won his first two starts for owner Brereton Jones and trainer Reade Baker, including a 6 1/2-furlong stakes at Presque Isle Downs. After a fading fifth on the dirt at Aqueduct in the Grade 2 Nashua, he took the 1 1/16-mile Display Stakes with determination here Dec. 8 under regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson.

“I was really disappointed when he didn’t get the Sovereign,” Wilson said. “I think we’ve yet to see what’s going to work best for him. He won first time going six furlongs, and as he got older, we stretched him out. I think there’s some promise there. He’s a bit of a punk. He messes around a little, and we have to get him to where he’s more focused.”

Trainer Ricky Griffith entered the winter-raced runners Callmeoldfashion and Tuscan Getaway, who trailed in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and is adding blinkers.

Puntrooskie graduated in a recent maiden special weight race for Florida-breds at Gulfstream in his second start off a $50,000 claim by Tucci Stables and trainer Nick Gonzalez. That combo claimed the eventual 2013 Queen’s Plate winner, Midnight Aria, early last year at Gulfstream.

Rounding out the field is Only I Know, who is unbeaten in two starts at Mountaineer for trainer Debra Rombis.