Whimsicality closing in on a win in Saturday allowance
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – On a rare Saturday without a stakes at Woodbine, Whimsicality should be favored in the feature, an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.
A Pin Oak Stable runner, Whimsicality defeated first-level allowance types at Pimlico before going to the sidelines in the spring of 2015, when she was trained by Graham Motion.
Whimsicality resurfaced this past spring with trainer Malcolm Pierce, who sent her out to finish second at this second-level allowance classification on the Tapeta here May 6. The razor-sharp winner of that event, Hot Kiss, subsequently took the Trillium Stakes, and third-place finisher Shesanaturalblonde came back to win an allowance.
Whimsicality stepped up her game a little while going back to the turf June 10, coming from fourth to finish a close second to Season Ticket.
The headliner, which will be run on lane 2 of the turf course, goes as race 8 on a 10-race card that has two other turf events, most notably an Ontario-sired allowance.
KEY CONTENDERS
Whimsicality, by Arch
Last 3 Beyers: 84-73-77
◗ Leading rider Eurico Da Silva retains the mount on the 4-year-old. Trainer Pierce and Da Silva are the most productive combo on grass at the meet, with five wins.
Dyna’s Recoleta, by Dynaformer
Last 3 Beyers: 85-82-69
◗ The versatile Ontario-bred ran in several restricted stakes last year, with her best performance being a close third in the La Lorgnette Stakes.
◗ Following a six-month layoff April 24 at Keeneland, she rallied from seventh to land a nine-furlong allowance. Most recently here on May 29, she wound up seventh behind champions Lexie Lou and Strut the Course in the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes.
Norquay, by Fairbanks
Last 3 Beyers: 79-73-66
◗ She was claimed for a bargain $20,000 on May 18, and in her next start, she overcame a troubled trip to capture a $40,000 conditioned contest on the Tapeta.
◗ Trainer Sam DiPasquale switched her to the turf three weeks ago, and she rallied on the far outside to finish second by a neck to Hidden Turn in a $50,000 claimer.
Interject, by Empire Maker
Last 3 Beyers: 81-84-87
◗ The 5-year-old has been idle since October, when she finished far back in the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland. This will be her first start for trainer Mark Casse.
DRF Formulator Fact: Casse has an 18 percent success rate with new acquisitions competing off a layoff of at least six months over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.42.