Tetherette tries males off soft win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tetherette will take on the boys while returning from a layoff in Thursday's second race at Woodbine, a six-furlong allowance for Ontario-sired runners.

Tetherette, a 4-year-old owned in part by trainer Bruce Pollock, took plenty of cracks at the non-winners-of-two allowance category. She hit the board in both of her starts in August after flashing her customary early speed.

Last time out, on Sept. 10, Tetherette set slow fractions on a clear lead over a speed-favoring track. She had plenty left for the stretch drive, and won comfortably in a time of 1:23.20. The big Beyer Speed Figure of 86 she received for that effort must be viewed with plenty of skepticism, however, because of the ideal conditions under which it was earned.

Simon Husbands retains the mount on Tetherette, who likely will face some pace pressure Thursday from For Good Measure or Angel's Wisdom.

For Good Measure was second behind the improving Willie Dunn in an identical allowance on Oct. 8. He went on to finish sixth in the Deputy Minister Stakes, and was most recently a fading fourth over a sloppy track.

Angel's Wisdom, who won a preliminary allowance at Fort Erie in July, has competed with mixed success here at the $20,000 nonwinners-of- three claiming level since the Fort Erie meeting ended. Most recently, he battled three wide on the lead over an inside-biased track and finished third.

Angel's Wisdom has no wins in 15 starts at Woodbine, but has five in-the-money finishes.

The race could set up for a closer, such as Chivas or Rodeo Fun.

Chivas, a Whiskey Wisdom gelding trained by Peter Berringer, earned an 84 Beyer for winning an easier Ontario-sired allowance on Sept. 18. He finished a wide fifth behind For Good Measure on Oct. 8, and was a non-factor last time over yielding turf in the Bunty Lawless Stakes.

Rodeo Fun earned back-to-back Beyers in the mid-80's going six furlongs late in the summer, when he was seemingly in peak form. He was a distant fourth behind For Good Measure when a moderate pace hindered his chances on Oct. 8, and was recently third in a $40,000 conditioned claimer over a sloppy track, which favored speed.

Rodeo Fun is debuting off a claim by trainer Warren Wilcox, who has secured go-to rider Slade Callaghan for the mount.

Turf specialist Mystic Dash hasn't found the mark since he won a restricted allowance in the fall of 2003.