Tower of Texas stands tall in Play the King prep

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The stakes winner Tower of Texas heads an accomplished group of mostly older runners in Friday’s Woodbine headliner, the allowance prep for the Play the King Stakes on Aug. 20. Run for a base purse of $74,500, the race is at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf and goes as race 8.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Tower of Texas went on a tear in the spring of 2015 after being gelded. He cleared the first two allowance conditions and then took the Grade 2 King Edward with his patented late kick, beating the eventual Canadian champion sprinter Stacked Deck.

Tower of Texas was beaten a nose by Reporting Star in last year’s Grade 2 Play the King and then went to the sidelines after running seventh in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in September. Following a 10-month break, he rallied for third in the one-mile King Edward on July 2.

On paper, Tower of Texas has some speed to chase in this six-horse field. The race will be run in lane 2.

KEY CONTENDERS

Tower of Texas, by Street Sense

Last 3 Beyers: 97-95-101

DRF Formulator fact: Going back five years, Attfield has a 20 percent win rate with route-to-sprint starters on turf, with a return on investment of $2.51.

Something Extra, by Indian Charlie

Last 3 Beyers: 95-87-98

◗ The 8-year-old is a five-time stakes winner, with earnings of just over $1 million.

◗ After wintering in Florida, he ran second to Undrafted in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland and then finished a fading sixth in the Grade 3 Turf Sprint at Churchill. Most recently, in the Grade 2 Highlander here, he battled for the lead along the inside before flattening out to third behind winner Passion for Action, Woodbine’s top sprinter.

◗ His outside draw should enable Eurico Da Silva to take advantage of his tactical speed.

◗ Trainer Gail Cox sent him out to work an easy half-mile in 50.20 seconds on the Tapeta last Friday.

Glenville Gardens, by Street Cry

Last 3 Beyers: 91-93-77

◗ After attending the pace, he finished a commendable fourth in his season opener in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, from which Dimension and Passion for Action exited to win Grade 2 stakes. Not surprisingly, he prevailed as the favorite in a subsequent $40,000 starter allowance.

Sweet Little Man, by Jazil

Last 3 Beyers: 90-98-92

◗ The upwardly mobile 6-year-old finished a lapped-on second to Glenville Gardens in a July 8 starter allowance.

Riker, by Include

Last 3 Beyers: 73-60-81

◗ Last year’s Canadian champion male 2-year-old is experimenting on a new surface without much turf breeding.