Tesseron back from layoff in Friday feature
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The handsome dappled gray Tesseron returns from a layoff in Friday’s Woodbine headliner, a second-level optional claimer going 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack.
Tesseron, a 4-year-old colt by leading sire Tapit, has been something of an underachiever since finishing second to River Seven in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes at 2 but has evolved into a useful grass runner this year.
Tesseron finally notched his second career score in April, when he prevailed in a first-level allowance at Keeneland. Following another layoff here June 7, he dropped a nose decision in a second-level optional claimer to Aldous Snow, who came back to take the Grade 3 Singspiel. The third-place finisher, Karibu Gardens, eventually won the Grade 2 Sky Classic.
Tesseron has been idle since June 22, when he finished just 4 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Grand Arch in sixth in the Grade 2 King Edward.
Luis Contreras will ride Tesseron for Donver Stable and trainer Josie Carroll, who teamed up to capture the 2011 Queen’s Plate with Inglorious.
KEY CONTENDERS
Tesseron (Last 3 Beyers: 90-95-87)
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Carroll has won at an 11 percent clip with horses coming off a layoff of 61 to 180 days in synthetic-track routes, with a profitable return on investment of $2.53.
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Any Given Royal (Last 3 Beyers: 83-76-85)
◗ His three wins in eight starts this year included a rail-skimming tally in a slow-paced event at this level and distance Oct. 26, when he was ridden by David Moran for the first time.
Sombrero de Copa (Last 3 Beyers: 92-86-78)
◗ The 4-year-old has become a turf monster since graduating over 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack in May. He won a first-level allowance and a starter allowance early in the summer and is exiting back-to-back seconds in second-level optional-claiming starts.
Dan the Tin Man (Last 3 Beyers: 69-63-67)
◗ The three-time stakes winner ran against a speed bias when fifth in a slow-paced third-level optional sprint Nov. 5.
◗ There isn’t a confirmed front-runner in this field, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him lead the way on the stretch-out to a distance over which he’s questionable.
Man Cave (Last 3 Beyers: 67-83-81)
◗ The 3-year-old ran hot and cold in his last two starts in a pair of restricted one-mile turf stakes. His Polytrack form is spotty, but he should be a factor if he brings his “A” game.