Utterly Cool out to make amends

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Utterly Cool, who bombed as the favorite in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes, will seek redemption Sunday at Woodbine in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile grass event for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds has attracted 11 others, 10 of whom are maidens.

Utterly Cool has run strictly on turf, and won his first two starts with ease. He graduated by five lengths in his debut, and won an allowance prep for the Summer by seven lengths while registering an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

Utterly Cool faded to finish a distant fourth after an outside stalking trip in the one-mile Summer. Trainer Sid Attard believes the course wasn't ideal for Utterly Cool, who has an awkward paddling action.

"It rained two days before the race," Attard said. "He doesn't have the best way of going, and I think the soft going really affected him. We scoped him after, and we couldn't find anything wrong with him."

Attard said Utterly Cool came out of the Summer in excellent order, and worked a good five-eighths around the cones over the turf training course in 1:01.80 on Oct. 12.

Patrick Husbands, who had several options in the race, picks up the mount on Utterly Cool.

Husbands has ridden both Mark Casse-trained entrants, Active Duty and Gallant.

Active Duty finished in the money in each of his three starts, including a second-place finish behind the impressive Summer winner Grand Adventure in a maiden race.

Casse said Active Deputy has been gelded since his last race, in which he was a beaten favorite.

"He's been a disappointment," Casse said. "His first performance was good and we expected him to go forward. He only got beat three lengths to Grand Adventure, so we can't hold that against him. I thought he could have won his last start, but he got pretty hot in the paddock and the post parade. That was when we decided that it was better for him to be a gelding."

Gallant broke slowly in both of his outings, which came going seven furlongs on the Polytrack. He finished 10th while debuting in the Simcoe Stakes, and was third in a maiden special.

"I was really high on Gallant," said Casse. "First time out, he walked out of the gate and never really got into the race. The second time, he ran well and flattened out a little late. Maybe he didn't get a lot out of his first race. He's worked all right on the turf."