Summer Commander drops from stakes in search of first win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With blinkers on, stakes-placed Summer Commander could graduate in Thursday’s third race at Woodbine, a hybrid Tapeta sprint for 2-year-olds combining Ontario-sired runners with $40,000 claimers.

Owned by Anne and William Scott, Summer Commander was bet down to favoritism when debuting in a 5 1/2-furlong dash at this level July 16. After dueling for the lead until inside the eighth pole, he faded to fourth about seven lengths behind victorious Pontiac.

Summer Commander ran back Aug. 27 in the $201,000 Simcoe Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong event for graduates of Canadian yearling sales. He pressed the favored leader, My Boy Prince, from the outset before ending up nearly 16 lengths back in third. Woodbine’s top 2-year-old, My Boy Prince romped by 14 lengths, subsequently ran second in the Grade 1 Summer, and is Breeders’ Cup-bound after taking the restricted Cup and Saucer Stakes convincingly.

Most recently, Summer Commander changed surfaces in the Bull Page Stakes to the main turf, over which his full sister, Summer Sunday, took the Grade 2 Royal North. After a three-wide stalking trip through the turn, he vied for the lead in the stretch before flattening out late to third in that Ontario-sired sprint.

Rafael Hernandez will ride Summer Commander again for trainer Stuart Simon, who has won at a 4-percent clip with first-time blinkers during the past five years, with a return on investment of 44 cents.

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Hernandez appears to have chosen Summer Commander over Country Living, who placed in all three of his starts at this level.

Country Living lost his debut by a nose Aug. 6 and then showed speed again before coming up a neck short when third five weeks later in another six-furlong contest. He ran second to a buzz saw in Junior Hot Shot on Oct. 1 in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint. Junior Hot Shot, who won off by 6 1/2 lengths, is headed to Sunday’s Frost King Stakes.

Emma-Jayne Wilson will get a leg up from trainer Dale Desruisseaux on Country Living, who has higher Beyer Speed Figures than Summer Commander.

Speedy Bulleit, Screen Legend, Sherif Ali, and Smart Almasty are all debuting with blinkers.

Speedy Bulleit is by the popular Souper Speedy, who has sired about 14 percent 2-year-old debut winners. The Mike DePaulo-trained gelding is the first foal from a sprinter who placed at 2 and banked nearly $160,000.

Trained by Abraham Katryan, Screen Legend is a half-brother to stakes-winning routers Academic, Awesome Fire, and Secret Wish. His dam dropped three winners from nine juvenile starters, including Ann of Cleves.

Sherif Ali, who competes for $40,000, is by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who has sired 10 percent 2-year-old first-out winners. He’s out of turf expert Mo Knows, who produced debut winner City of Knowledge.

Trainer Mark Casse sends out Sherif Ali and Fast and Ready, who was a well-beaten eighth at first asking in an Oct. 1 maiden special on the grass.

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