Tough to distinguish between Say No More, Good Better Best in Cup and Saucer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Say No More and Good Better Best, who both won their only start on the grass, are the obvious contenders in Sunday’s $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf route for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Say No More could go favored off his front-running triumph in a one-mile maiden special Sept. 25. He drew off in the final furlong then to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths, in a time of 1:35.88, which translated into a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Mike Keogh said jockey Richard Dos Ramos predicted that Say No More would be up on the pace in his race.

“Rick always said that he thought he’d be on the lead with him, just by the way he’d worked,” Keogh said. “I like the way that he dug in down the lane.”

Keogh said Say No More showed ample promise before making his debut.

“We thought highly of him, because he blew the doors off Zarroc when he worked with him on the training track one day,” Keogh recalled. “Zarroc is a handy little two-other-than horse. I was really impressed with that work.”

Keogh described Say No More as a chunky son of Langfuhr, whom he trained to win the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

“He’s not overly tall, but he’s very stocky,” said Keogh. “He’s got a beautiful shoulder, rear end, and barrel on him. He looks a lot like Langfuhr, except he’s a chestnut.”

Good Better Best, a son of new Ontario sire Best of the Bests, debuted in open maiden special company Sept. 11. After saving ground on the turn in the six-furlong sprint, he rallied wide in the stretch with a long stride to score by three-quarters of a length. He got a 65 Beyer for covering the distance in 1:16.18.

“He was very green in that race,” said trainer Roger Attfield. “He’s maturing all the time. He’s going the right way, and he worked really well [Wednesday] morning.”

Trainer Mark Casse entered Withdrawal and a pair of maidens, Strike Oil and Enduring Star, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in Good Better Best’s opener.

“Strike Oil ran well first-time out,” said Casse. “He got beat two lengths by [Good Better Best], who they think so much of. He got bothered on the turn, and got shuffled back nine lengths behind.”