Two turns a first

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - On the Game, one of the more promising 3-year-olds at Woodbine, will experiment around two turns in Friday's 1 1/8-mile headliner, a $62,500 optional claimer.

Greatballsoffire should be favored as she seeks her third win in a row in the supporting feature on the card, a $62,500 claimer for fillies and mares.

On the Game was bet down to 3-5 when he debuted in a six-furlong maiden special here July 12. He came from just off the pace while running greenly to prevail by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:10.60, which was good for a Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

On the Game subsequently was sold by trainer Laurie Silvera for a six-figure price to John Franks, who turned him over to trainer David Bell. Bell ran the colt back in a July 29 preliminary allowance, in which he drew the inside post. On the Game broke a bit slowly before pressing a slow pace along the inside and was checked at the quarter pole before ending up second at 1-5.

On the Game made amends most recently in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance, in which jockey Mickey Walls made a sweeping four-wide move with him on the turn en route to a 2 1/2-length score. His time of 1:16.80 clocking was good for a Beyer Figure of 85.

On the Game is by Prospect Bay, a stakes-winning sprinter, but his dam's only win came in a route on the main track. Bell is confident that On the Game improve stretching out.

"He acts like a horse who will go long," Bell said. "Mr. Franks bought him because he thought he'd go long."

From the rail out, the field for Friday's seventh race: Divinail's Hope, with Constant Montpellier aboard; Prory, James McKnight; On the Game, Walls; Mr. Perpetuity, Laurie Gulas; and Classic Tuxedo, Ray Sabourin.

Prory, a former stakes competitor with $743,189 in the bank, has been claimed at this level three times since he was shipped here from Kentucky last summer. A 9-year-old gelding, he won three of his first five outings this year for two different trainers. He was claimed from a second-place finish July 19 by his current connections, owner John Atto and trainer Sandy McPherson.

Despite Pryory's being just a one-time winner on the grass, McPherson tried him on that surface Aug. 10 with a positive result. Prory rallied five-wide to finish second in that $80,000 optional claimer, in which he earned his second straight Beyer of 88.

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