Thundering storms into Grey Stakes for two-turn test

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Thundering, who graduated in style in the Display Stakes, will test his mettle around two turns in Sunday’s Grade 3, $135,000 Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Patrick Dixon, Thundering made both of his starts over seven furlongs on the Tapeta. The Maryland-bred had worked lights-out before a closing third after a tardy start when debuting in a slow-paced maiden special Sept. 15.

Thundering rallied outside exiting the turn to take the lead early in the stretch in the Oct. 13 Display. He drifted to the rail in the final furlong and scored by 1 1/4 lengths under Eswan Flores.

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“He came out of the race so well,” Dixon said. “We are coming back in three weeks, but he is doing great. It’s a step up and this will be the farthest he has run, but he looks like he’s ready for the challenge.”

Dixon likes the son of Mosler’s chances going the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Grey. The average winning distance of stakes-winning turf sprinter Mosler’s progeny is 6 1/2 furlongs.

“It seems like the farther he goes, the better he gets,” Dixon explained.

Trainer Mark Casse sends out the unbeaten Tapit Kissit Winit, who defeated maidens and allowance rivals going short and long on the inner turf. The Tapit colt is out of Let It Ride Mom, who won the 1 1/16-mile La Lorgnette Stakes on the Tapeta here in 2017.

Mazarine Stakes

Charlotte’s Heart raised eyebrows when she was a fast-finishing second in the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes. The pricey New York-bred has the credentials to successfully stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in Sunday’s Grade 3, $135,000 Mazarine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

Charlotte’s Heart notched her debut in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special on the grass at Saratoga. She came charging from sixth most recently in the Glorious Song to finish three-quarters of a length shy of stablemate Winterberry before galloping out in front.

From the first crop of classic winner Authentic, Casse is adamant that Charlotte’s Heart will go long.

“I think that is what she has been wanting,” Casse said. “We really like her.”

Ready for Candy has the most experience in the field. She has stuck to the turf since her opening race and was seventh in the Grade 1 Natalma before a troubled fifth in the Oct. 6 Cup and Saucer Stakes, in which she was promoted to fourth after the disqualification of Ashley’s Archer.

“[Ashley’s Archer] came over and almost knocked her down,” trainer Mike DePaulo said. “She was running and I think she could have won it. She’s okay on the [Tapeta], too, and she’s gonna love two turns. She’s already run a mile and a mile and a sixteenth. Most of those other fillies haven’t.”

Casse cross-entered No Time, Shifty, and Ready to Battle in both the Grey and Mazarine.

Jonathan Thomas runs Vamos Carlitos in the Grey and As Catch Can in the Mazarine. The Kentucky-based trainer is an impressive 7 for 12 at the Woodbine meet.

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