Turf renovations impact start time, field sizes
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The post time for Friday racing has been pushed back to 4:30 p.m. due to a renovation project on the backstretch portion of Woodbine’s main turf course.
The outside lane 4 will be in use for the three inner turf events on Friday’s eight-race card, which is the reason for having eight also eligibles in the 7 1/2-furlong opener. The body of the $15,000 maiden-claiming race has eight, including the lightly raced El Diablito, who is making his first turf start.
El Diablito couldn’t cut it against Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens in his first two outings. When dropping to $25,000 going seven furlongs most recently, the 5-year-old was a prominent third while earning a 63 Beyer Speed Figure. Trainer Matt Douglas took some weight off by entering him for $14,000 on Friday with Jose Campos back aboard.
El Diablito is by the good 14 percent grass sire Society’s Chairman. More importantly, his dam produced the Grade 2-winning turf sprinter Big Runner and Shifty, who took the Catch a Glimpse Stakes on the main turf here last year.
Ten runners will line up in both the fourth and seventh races, which have just one also eligible each because the 1 1/16-mile races have a longer run to the first turn than the first race.
Fanore, an inner-turf horse for the course, could go favored in the fourth, a starter allowance. The Irish-bred defeated next-out winner Mister Holden in his penultimate race. He had traffic problems during a three-wide trip when a better-than-looked second most recently in his first try at this level. Fraser Aebly will ride him again for trainer Tony Gattellaro.
Among the other contenders in the fourth are Causin’ Mayhem, Wilberforce, Mannix, and Hell Bent. Causin’ Mayhem could easily rebound off a lackluster performance while being reunited with Rafael Hernandez.
Serenading Kitten is the lone entrant not in for the $40,000 claiming tag in the seventh, a hybrid maiden race, because she’s Ontario-sired. After knocking on the door last fall at 2, she’s had a frustrating time trying to earn her diploma this year. The homebred has had excuses in her last three outings, most notably when she clipped heels early in an inner-turf race July 12.
The Darwin Banach-trained also-eligible Lady Iona is the one to beat if she draws in. She was competitive in open maiden special weight company during the spring before running a stinker most recently when she missed the break and was bumped before ending up 12th after quite a wide trip.
Keytothepark is returning from another layoff with Hernandez riding. She was heavily favored when dropping to this level on June 21 and wound up a close second after blowing a two-length lead in midstretch.
Others to consider in the seventh are Starship Serenity, Yorkton Rose, Outforarip, and Mobula, who is making her first start around two turns.
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