Summer Commander brings black-type credentials into maiden race

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Rafael Hernandez climbed atop the Woodbine jockey standings when he took last Sunday’s nightcap on Speedy Hans, who gave him his 19th winner of the meet. He rides probable favorite Summer Commander in Friday’s sixth race, a 6 1/2-furlong main-turf sprint for Ontario-sired and $40,000 maiden 3-year-olds.

Trained by Stuart Simon, Summer Commander was a $55,000 yearling purchase by owners Anne and William Scott. The gelded son of Silent Name is out of Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Dancing Allstar. His full sister Summer Sunday was a Canadian champion female sprinter who won graded stakes on turf and synthetics.

Summer Commander earned black type when a distant third behind the brilliant My Boy Prince second time out in the Aug. 27 Simcoe Stakes for graduates of Canadian yearling sales. A month later, he switched from Tapeta to turf for the Bull Page Stakes and finished a close third going seven furlongs.

Summer Commander lost a heartbreaker against maidens following an eight-month layoff May 24. Over a track that was kind to speed, he led the way and then opened up a daylight lead in the stretch before getting nailed on the wire.

Summer Commander, who worked a half-mile in a sizzling 46.80 on June 6, could prove tough to catch on Friday with the temporary rail in lane 4.

Fracen Macho is changing surfaces off a game second in his opening race May 19 going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta. On June 1, the son of 9 percent turf sprint sire Frac Daddy breezed five furlongs in a fast 59.60 with his older allowance-winning stablemate Ol’ Blondie.

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Fracen Macho is the first foal from an unraced mare who is out of a stakes-placed runner on the grass. Eswan Flores rides the gelding for trainer Paul Buttigieg, who has won at an 8 percent clip with maiden second-time starters over the past five years, with a return on investment of $1.24.

Phillip My Wine and Devil’s Tongue are both debuting sons of 13 percent first-out sire Frac Daddy.

Philip My Wine is a half-brother to Hunt Master, a stakes-placed sprinter/miler on turf. Trainer Angus Buntain has sent the gelding out to work twice over the turf training course in recent weeks.

Devil’s Tongue is out of a stakes-placed sprinter who placed on the turf. His dam produced Chipotle Pepper, who ran third in a maiden $25,000 turf sprint here last Saturday. Trainer Gord Colbourne is sending him out with blinkers after the gelding worked a half-mile in 48.60 on the Tapeta last Sunday.

There are several other first-timers in the 10-horse field, including Aurelian Flame and Fast Friends. Both are by 14 percent turf sprint sires and from mares who have produced a grass winner.

Popweiser is shedding the blinkers following a flat fourth in a recent turf experiment and could make the board in his third race off the bench.

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