Tough cast in Summer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - European raider Streets Ahead and unbeaten American runner Marcavelly head a superb field of 2-year-olds in Sunday's Grade 3, $250,000 Summer, a one-mile turf stakes that is a supporting feature on Woodbine Mile Day.

Streets Ahead is based in England with trainer Andrew Balding, who captured two stakes here last year, with Vanderlin and Silver Highlight.

Streets Ahead won his maiden in his third start Aug. 17 at Salisbury, and then took the listed Stonehenge Stakes there eight days later, receiving a Timeform rating of 98.

"He won quite nicely in his last race, and there were some pretty nice horses in there," said exercise rider Leanne Masterton.

Richard Hughes will ride Streets Ahead, who is owned by Team Valor, Gary Barber, and John Dwyer.

Marcavelly, trained by Bill Mott, was a seven-length winner when he made his debut in a six-furlong turf race at Belmont in July. Most recently, at Monmouth, he overcame a slow start to take the Continental Mile Stakes as the 3-5 favorite.

Edgar Prado has the mount on Marcavelly, who was a $210,000 yearling purchase by Zayat Stables LLC.

Trainer Mark Casse entered two runners in the Summer: Approval Rating and Seaside Links.

Approval Rating won his maiden in a six-furlong turf race under Jim McKnight, an effort that Casse said surprised him.

"I honestly didn't think he'd win first time out," he said. "He broke a little slowly, and Jim was patient with him. He came running very nicely."

Patrick Husbands was aboard when Approval Rating rallied for an authoritative win in the allowance prep for the Summer, which was taken off the grass and run over 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner dirt track.

"He was just loping along, but when Patrick asked him to go, he just accelerated and took off," Casse said. "He went the last three-sixteenths of a mile in 18 and change. It was quite amazing."

Seaside Links won at first asking on the main track, but then ran two dull races over the inner dirt track.

Dreaming of Anna, the lone filly in the field, was scratched from last Sunday's Arlington-Washington BC Lassie when the track came up sloppy. Trained by Wayne Catalano, she won both of her starts convincingly, including the 5 1/2-furlong Tippett Stakes on July 29 at Colonial Downs.