Summer Sunday primed for Ballade Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Summer Sunday seems poised to get back into peak form in Saturday’s $100,000 Ballade Stakes, a six-furlong dash for Ontario-sired fillies and mares at Woodbine.

Summer Sunday’s most recent victory here last spring in the restricted Fury Stakes was, frankly, ugly. She drifted out badly through the stretch during a front-running trip but prevailed by a 1 3/4 lengths over Glamanation in the seven-furlong event.

Summer Sunday had been idle for nearly a year when she finished a well-beaten sixth in a third-level optional claimer on dirt at Keeneland on April 11. A knee injury kept her out of training after the Fury, according to trainer Stu Simon, and her connections wanted to ensure that she was fully recovered before resuming training.

“It was one of those things where we could have brought her back last fall, but we gave her about twice as long off as we really needed to,” Simon said. “We really wanted to make sure.”

Summer Sunday has worked in sparkling fashion on the Tapeta since returning home. She had a visually impressive half-mile drill in 46.80 seconds on April 27 and followed it up last Saturday with a five-furlong breeze in 59.20, the third-quickest of 92 works at the distance that morning.

The Ballade drew a field of nine, including the supplements Blurricane and Without a Doubt.

KEY CONTENDERS

Summer Sunday, by Silent Name
Last 3 Beyers: 58-66-43

◗ Her unbeaten 2-year-old campaign in the summer of 2017 was highlighted by triumphs in two restricted stakes, the Muskoka and Nandi.

◗ Rafael Hernandez chose her over Scotty’s Model, whom he rode to victory in last year’s Ballade.

Scotty’s Model, by Mr. Scotty
Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-80

◗ She has started only three times since notching her first stakes win in last year’s Ballade. Following a layoff, she finished ninth after a wide trip in the Grade 3 Honey Fox on grass March 2 at Gulfstream.

◗ Brad McKnight, trainer Norm McKnight’s assistant, said he didn’t feel inclined to work her a lot since she shipped back here in April.

“I’ve only given her one half-mile breeze,” McKnight said. “I’m hoping she got enough fitness from training at Gulfstream. She only had the one race and seemed to handle that okay. I’m trying to keep her fresh more than anything. When they get older, sometimes it’s better to keep them fresh and happy rather than drill away on them. When older horses get over there, they know what their job is. She’s a real pleasure to be around.”

◗ Kazushi Kimura, riding without his apprentice allowance, picks up the mount on the Bruno Schickedanz homebred.