Strut the Course faces males in Sir Barton
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Reigning Canadian champion older female Strut the Course will tackle males on the final Wednesday night card of the Woodbine meet in the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes for Ontario-sired runners.
Strut the Course, a 5-year-old mare trained by Barb Minshall, is at the end of her most productive campaign, during which she captured two Grade 2 turf stakes, the Dance Smartly and the Canadian. Perhaps her best effort was a troubled fourth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor, in which she finished just two lengths behind the victorious European invader Curvy.
“She had some traffic problems in the lane,” Minshall said. “They were sitting together, and [Curvy] got to the hole first. With a little cleaner trip, I thought that maybe she could have been no worse than second, but she ran a good race.”
Minshall said she also considered last Saturday’s Grade 3 Cardinal, a 1 1/8-mile turf route at Churchill in which Strut the Course could have been the favorite.
“We were looking at the Cardinal, but she was the highweight there, and it’s the same money,” Minshall said. “She’s in good shape, so we just thought we’d stay here and take on the boys.”
Strut the Course is the leading candidate for two Sovereign Awards this year as champion older female and champion turf female.
Seven others were entered in the 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton, including another daughter of Strut the Stage, Clarkston Hope.
KEY CONTENDERS
Strut the Course (Last 3 Beyers: 98-97-92)
◗ She breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 on the training track last Wednesday under exercise rider Addy Amaral, much to the delight of Minshall.
“She’s had two works coming into this, and she’s doing great,” Minshall said. “I haven’t seen any drop-off on her at all. She’s really coming into it good.”
Seen It All Before (Last 3 Beyers: 87-88-84)
◗ The turf expert is coming off a victory in the restricted Bunty Lawless Stakes. His lone Polytrack tally in eight starts came in his maiden win.
Born in a Breeze (Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-76)
◗ The 3-year-old has evolved into an effective grass specialist, but his Polytrack form isn’t bad. He was beaten just a neck when third after closing from 10th in the one-mile Bunty Lawless.
Keen Gizmo (Last 3 Beyers: 84-91-89)
◗ Since placing June 6 in the Steady Growth Stakes, he hasn’t missed the board in allowance company while racing exclusively on the Polytrack.
Clarkston Hope (Last 3 Beyers: 86-65-68)
◗ She was supplemented for $2,500 off a front-running score in a second-level optional claimer for fillies and mares.