Trainer Cox's great meet could peak on E.P. Taylor Day

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Gail Cox has enjoyed a sensational 2020 Woodbine meet. Her season might reach a pinnacle on E.P. Taylor Stakes Day - Oct. 18 - when she could have runners in three stakes.

Rideforthecause is scheduled to contest the Grade 1, $600,000 E.P. Taylor. The 4-year-old notched her first stakes at 22-1 in the Grade 2 Canadian going about 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 12. Cox said longer distances have been the key to getting Rideforthecause to reach her potential. In that case, the 1 1/4- mile Taylor should be right up her alley.

“She wanted to go far, and didn’t get an opportunity,” Cox said.

Count Again is headed for the Grade 1, $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf. That 1 1/2-mile marathon has been a prep for the Grade 1 Canadian International, which has been canceled this year due to the pandemic.

Like Rideforthecause, Count Again is a late-blooming Sam-Son Farm homebred. The 5-year-old gelding annexed his stakes debut over 1 1/4 miles in the Grade 3 Singspiel on Sept. 19.

“He ran so well, and I think he likes a distance of ground, too,” Cox said. “He’s doing really well right now. These races are right here. We don’t have to ship somewhere.”

The speedy Victoria Stakes winner Ready to Repeat is exiting a front-running second to Gretzky the Great in the Grade 1 Summer over a mile on Sept. 20.

“I was thrilled with him,” Cox said. “I thought he ran really well, the first time going that distance.”

Ready to Repeat could reappear on the Taylor card in the $100,000 Display, a seven-furlong Tapeta stakes which has been shortened from its previous distance of 1 1/16 miles.

By winning the Summer, Gretzky the Great earned a fees-paid berth into the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland. Cox said Ready to Repeat is being considered for that race as well, but the inability to bring her help across the border due to the pandemic is problematic.

“It’s very hard to go to the Breeders’ Cup and not be able to send people,” Cox explained.

** Trainer Roger Attfield said the talented Shirl’s Speight could contest the $100,000 Toronto Cup Stakes at a mile on the grass for 3-year-olds here Oct. 3. Shirl’s Speight won his first two starts convincingly, including the Grade 3 Marine, before ending up seventh in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19.

“I don’t really want to run back in two weeks, but I might,” Attfield said.

Attfield was very content with the debut of Shirl’s Speight’s 2-year-old full-sister, Speightstown Shirl, who was second to the impressive favorite Souper Sensational in a seven-furlong maiden special on the Tapeta last Saturday.

“She’s a lot better on turf, but I had to get her started,” Attfield said.