ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Western Whirl looked new and improved as a first-time gelding in his season opener on Tapeta. He switches to the main turf while trying to double up in the Sunday feature at Woodbine, a seven-furlong conditioned allowance with a $50,000 claiming option. A need-the-lead type trained by Stuart Simon, Western Whirl went winless in seven outings in 2024, during which he wound up second three times, including in a seven-furlong main turf event. Western Whirl was gelded during offseason and had worked nicely prior to his June 8 comeback in a first-level allowance/optional claimer. Sent off at 5-1, he darted to a clear lead under Fraser Aebly and never looked back, scoring comfortably by 3 1/4 lengths in a snappy 1:09.74 for six furlongs, which translated to a career-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Aebly will ride the 4-year-old again on Sunday. The rail is out to speed-friendly lane 4, or 45 feet, on a course that has been kind to front-runners of late. Society’s Thunder should be a major player if he stays in the zone. He was an unlucky second to Hunt Master in the Oct. 27 Overskate Stakes, a 7 1/2-furlong inner turf race for Ontario-sired runners which he lost by a neck after being steadied while in tight along the rail on the far turn. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Society’s Thunder was disqualified from first to sixth in his May 18 seasonal bow in a seven-furlong Tapeta sprint at this level. He competed in a higher-conditioned allowance most recently on the inner turf and didn’t disgrace himself when third behind the classy stakes winners Never Surprised and Piper’s Factor. Jose Campos has the call on Society’s Thunder for owner-trainer Dominic Polsinelli. The durable veteran Lucky Score is looking to end a long drought off a narrow loss in a similar race and could be cycling up to a peak performance. The stretch-runner is far removed from his solid 2023 form that included a narrow loss in the Grade 2 Nearctic and a troubled seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Lucky Score is owned by a partnership that includes last year’s Sovereign Award-winning owner, Gary Barber. Sahin Civaci has the mount for trainer Mark Casse. Gas Me Up has been campaigned sporadically since leaving Southern California after his successful 2-year-old season in 2022. He won a main-turf allowance sprint here in June of last year and was fifth off a one-year layoff in a one-mile inner turf race June 1. Chiefswood Stables owns Western Whirl and War Court, who has been sidelined since ending up fifth in the Grade 3 Valedictory late in 2023. The 7-year-old has a poor turf record and might be prepping for the stretch-out to a route on Tapeta, his speciality. Rounding out the eighth-race field are No More Options, Perfect Crime, Rat Portage, and Blast in the Snow. Maakwa was entered for the main track only. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.