Sugartap could ride inside bias to victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It’s no secret that Woodbine’s main track has been favoring inside runners of late. That’s not to say that the synthetic Tapeta surface is inside-biased on a daily basis, but the track profile has been that the inner path has been advantageous, especially on the far turn.

The class-plunging Sugartap could end up being the inside speed after breaking from post 3 in Friday’s second race, a five-furlong dash for $7,500 maidens. Sugartap led the way before fading to fourth in back-to-back starts before a dull sixth-place finish most recently versus Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens. Larry Munoz has the mount for trainer Sid Attard.

The wild card in the second is the well-bred first-time starter Lloyd, who worked well from the gate Nov. 5, covering a half-mile in 48.40 seconds. The gelded son of Bernardini posted three slow half-mile breezes since then for owner-trainer Matt Douglas, who won at an 18 percent clip with firsters going back five years, with a healthy return on investment of $2.45. With an alert break from post 2 under Kazushi Kimura, Lloyd could take some catching.

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Malibu Secret will be favored, as usual, in the third race, but the speedy 9-year-old is vulnerable over the seven-furlong distance. Drawn just inside him in post 1 is It Worked, a seven-furlong expert who could hug the rail in a stalking position before going in for the kill. Apprentice Sofia Vives was aboard It Worked when he beat $5,000 conditioned rivals Nov. 17 and will ride him again for trainer Carlos Grant.

Ask in My Name may have won the fourth race at the draw when he got the rail under Leo Salles. He broke slowly before making up ground along the inside to end up fifth in his improved second start against Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens. The Florida-bred is descending to $25,000 with the addition of blinkers in the seven-furlong sprint.

Whaddya Mean could make the lead in the fourth from post 4 under Jose Campos, who was aboard when the son of Souper Speedy was a front-running second for $15,000 in his last outing. Professional maiden Miah Said and new gelding Demba are both drawn inside with a chance to hit the board.

The fifth and sixth races are a split of a $25,000 maiden route for 2-year-olds. The horses drawn inside in the fifth have the best chance, most notably Whiting Field, who prevailed in a front-end battle before fading to third when stretching out in his second start Nov. 2. Camarosa is meeting males for the second time off a wide second against her own sex with second-leading rider Sahin Civaci taking over.

Scat Factor has the credentials to graduate on short rest in the sixth, even though he could have a wide trip from post 5 under Ryan Munger. He galloped out strongly after closing for second in a seven-furlong event for $15,000 maidens last Friday. Screen Legend is adding blinkers for the stretch-out and could be a speed threat from post 2.

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