Strut the Course to face males in Sir Barton

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Strut the Course encountered trouble in the stretch of the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes on the Woodbine turf on Oct. 18 and will return to Polytrack to face males in the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes, trainer Barbara Minshall said. The Sir Barton is for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack on Nov. 25.

Strut the Course also was nominated to the Grade 3, $100,000 Cardinal Handicap against fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs on Nov. 21, but Minshall said the possibility of soft turf at Churchill made staying home an attractive alternative.

“We were going to go to the Cardinal, but I don’t want to take a chance with really bad turf,” she said. “It’s basically the same amount of money, and maybe if she beats the boys, she can be champion older mare and champion turf mare.”

Strut the Course most recently finished fourth in the E.P. Taylor after being stuck behind a wall of horses with nowhere to run in the late going. Minshall said she felt Strut the Course could have improved her placing with a better trip.

“She lacked racing room, but she ran a good race,” she said. “With a little bit of racing luck, I think she’s for sure second, maybe even more. She was maybe a little too far back early. With those kind of fillies, it didn’t open up.”

Since the E.P. Taylor, Minshall said Strut the Course has been in good order.

“I gave her a week off, and she’s in great shape,” she said.

Strut the Course has had a productive 2015 campaign for Minshall and owner-breeder John Unger, and although the Sir Barton will be her last start of the year, Minshall said Strut the Course likely will race again next season as a 6-year-old.

“It sounds like barring anything unforeseen, Mr. Unger definitely wants to run one more year,” she said.