Turfway shippers tough to top on Tapeta
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Turfway shippers Talent Show and Purrfect Girl should be all the rage when they both debut for a new trainer in the nominal feature on the first Friday card of the Woodbine meet, a seven-furlong starter allowance on the synthetic with a purse of $40,700.
Talent Show has been quite popular in the claiming box, having been haltered from each of her last three starts. The stretch-running router defeated $5,000 opposition in her penultimate race and then doubled up most recently for $8,000 with a career-best 72 Beyer Speed Figure when claimed by trainer Debra Rombis.
Talent Show will be ridden by Jeffrey Alderson, who has a win from two mounts at this young meet for Rombis.
“She is in great order,” Rombis said. “I hope the seven-eighths is long enough for her.”
Purrfect Girl had a productive 2025 campaign here, during which she won 3 of 11 starts. The Tapeta route specialist won for the first time on turf over the tight inner course against $25,000 nonwinners of three in October.
Purrfect Girl wintered at Turfway, where she broke out of a slump when beating $5,000 claimers with a career-high 71 Beyer on March 27. Rafael Hernandez was aboard for two of Purrfect Girl’s wins and has the call Friday for trainer Mike Wright Jr., who has scored with 13 percent of his new acquisitions over the past five years.
Built Different is the third winter-raced entrant in the seven-horse field. She’s recorded two wins from four starts this year, all on the grass at Turf Paradise. The 7-year-old miler came from left field to win a starter allowance in her latest venture on March 7. She was claimed then for $4,000 by Phil Hall, who subsequently took over training duties.
Built Different breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 here May 2, which was the seventh-fastest of 63 works on the Tapeta that day. During her formative years, she performed well on the Tapeta at Gulfstream, winning her debut over $50,000 maidens there in March 2022.
Prayven Badrie, who’s 0 for 6 at this meet, will ride Built Different. He was the leading rider at Assiniboia Downs in 2024.
Hall also is running Voice From Above, who placed in each of her last three outings in the fall before getting the winter off.
Trainer Devon Gittens sends out Hard to Capture and Founder’s Day.
Hard to Capture took 2 of 10 starts last year. The 7-year-old has been idle since ending up third after mounting a wide rally over a rail-biased track in a Nov. 20 starter allowance that contained two next-out winners.
Founder’s Day had a busy 14-race 2025 campaign at Gulfstream, with her lone win coming in a $10,000 claiming race. The Constitution mare is making her first start for Gittens off a five-month layoff after wintering in Florida.
Completing the lineup is Twisting Pistons, who tailed off late in the fall after winning consecutive races here in August and October.
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