Tiz a Slam, Yorkton give Chiefswood strong hand in Cup and Saucer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Chiefswood Stable entered two promising 2-year-old colts, Tiz a Slam and Yorkton, in the 80th running of the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf route for Canadian-breds on Saturday at Woodbine.

Tiz a Slam won his first two outings, including the allowance prep for the Summer Stakes. In the Grade 2 Summer, he was beaten three lengths while finishing fourth, a head behind third-place finisher Channel Maker.

Chiefswood general manager Robert Landry felt that Tiz a Slam failed to bring his “A” game in the one-mile Summer.

“I think he’s better than that,” Landry said. “I don’t think he brought his best race. He’s a pretty nice horse.”

Yorkton, a son of Speightstown, ran third at first asking before graduating in a six-furlong maiden special on the Tapeta. Landry is optimistic that Yorkton will make a smooth transition to the grass.

“He worked well on it,” Landry said. “Speightstowns tend to run well on it. The distance might be a little bit of a question depending on what the footing’s like.”

Landry said the two colts are different types.

“Yorkton has more tactical speed,” Landry said. “I think Tiz a Slam will run on. I think they’ll both like the dirt. Our training center is dirt, so we get a good line on how they handle it. We’ve had a lot of offers on both horses, but obviously we’re not looking to sell.”

The $125,000 Bunty Lawless, a one-mile turf route for older Ontario-sired stock, is the supporting feature on Saturday’s excellent 10-race card.

KEY CONTENDERS

Tiz a Slam, by Tiznow

Beyers: 87-75-65

◗ The Roger Attfield trainee fired bullets in two of his three works over the turf training course this month, including six furlongs in 1:13 on Oct. 12.

Yorkton, by Speightstown

Beyers: 73-65

◗ Trainer Stu Simon worked him a bullet five furlongs in 58.60 seconds over the turf training track Oct. 7, and he went in 1:00 in another five-furlong drill on the turf training track a week later.

Erin Commodity, by Hansen

Beyers: 69-61

◗ A maiden filly, she is taking on the boys off a wide-closing fifth in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes.

Financial Recovery, by Street Cry

Beyers: 70-74-56

◗ She made all the running in a recent maiden special weight route on the turf. That was her third start and her first for trainer Catherine Day Phillips.

Jurojin, by Giant Gizmo

Last 3 Beyers: 62-49-37

◗ Following a loss by double-digit lengths on yielding ground in the Aug. 14 Vandal Stakes, he was an upset winner of the Kingarvie Stakes on the Tapeta.

Lokinforpursemonee, by Silent Name

Last 3 Beyers: 62-60-68

◗ The winner of the Victoria and Simcoe stakes and the runner-up in the Frost King and Kingarvie, he makes his first start on grass and is bred for the surface.

Bunty Lawless: Strut N Stomp on a roll

In the Bunty Lawless, Strut N Stomp seeks his third consecutive victory since getting claimed for $40,000 in June by trainer Don MacRae.

After winning an Ontario-sired allowance here in July, Strut N Stomp took the $125,000 Halton Stakes, for graduates of local yearling sales, on Aug. 31. Rafael Hernandez, who won three races on Wednesday night, retains the mount.

Where’s the Widget, the probable pacesetter, has been idle since July 2, when he capped a five-race win streak on synthetic surfaces in a $25,000 starter allowance. His limited turf form isn’t bad, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go all the way under Eurico Da Silva.