Trio of claiming races on main turf top card

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Time is running out for racing over Woodbine’s fabled main turf course, which will shut down for approximately one year beginning in late August when re-sodding begins on a large portion of it.

There are three $25,000 main turf claimers on Friday’s seven-race card, beginning in the second with a nonwinners-of-three route for fillies and mares around one turn. Bravo Kate looks like the one to beat in her second appearance of the year.

A 4-year-old trained by Sid Attard, Bravo Kate tried restricted stakes company without success early in her career before gradually sliding down the value ladder. She broke out of a slump when beating $15,000 nonwinners-of-two foes in her final 2024 outing in December before getting the winter off.

Bravo Kate was protected in her June 12 season opener in a starter allowance/optional claimer over a mile on the inner turf, during which she ran wide all the way when third. She’s a good fit in Friday’s race with Rico Walcott subbing for the suspended Rafael Hernandez.

The other obvious protagonists in the second are O Wow and Foxy Diva.

Nonwinners-of-two females go six furlongs in the fifth, with Pretty Good Joke expected to be prominent throughout after breaking from post 8 on the far outside. Usually a front-runner in longer sprints, she went five furlongs in her third race off the bench on the inner turf July 5, rallying for third under Eswan Flores, who will ride her again for owner-trainer Nick Nosowenko.

My Cash Factor ran well in each of her last two starts, both at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main course. Jason Hoyte inherits the mount on her from Fraser Aebly, who also is sitting out a suspension.

Gather and World Showcase are both moving up after running second and third, respectively, against $15,000 nonwinners-of-two opposition.

The seventh race, a competitive nonwinners-of-two sprint at six furlongs, has a field of 10 males, including Alpha Kadin. He had a fast start to the meet, graduating in his seasonal bow while protected by wavier against $15,000 maidens on the Tapeta. He went on to finish third in a five-furlong inner turf dash for $25,000 and is dropping off a troubled fifth against Ontario-sired and $40,000 rivals.

Flores retains the mount for the gelding’s first start for trainer Kerron Palmer.

Doadster parlayed an ideal stalking trip into a runner-up placing for $15,000 on the main course June 22, when he left current rival Field Hockey back in third. Doadster is picking up new apprentice Dalila Rivera, who placed on one of her two rides for trainer John Mattine.

Field Hockey hasn’t shown much since graduating on the main turf in September 2023, but he could be on the up-and-up for trainer John Whalen.

Lane 3 will be used on the main turf and lane 1 for the inner course on Friday. Post time is 1:05 p.m.