Woodbine: Biamonte has strong youth movement

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Ralph Biamonte stable has fashioned an enviable record with its 2-year-olds at this meeting, clicking with 5 of 8 starters, including Victoria Stakes winner Banner Bill.

On Sunday, Biamonte will be looking to enhance that statistic when he sends out Jenna’s Wabbit for the $125,000 Clarendon Stakes.

The Clarendon, a 5 1/2-furlong race for Ontario-foaled 2-year-olds, attracted a field of seven, and Jenna’s Wabbit is the only winner.

“It’s a little bit quick back for him,” said Biamonte, who sent out Jenna’s Wabbit for a 3 3/4-length maiden victory over five furlongs in his second career start here June 19.

“But he’s a big strong horse, he came out of the race good, and he’s healthy. We’ve trained him back lightly.”

Jenna’s Wabbit, who was bred by Biamonte and races in the names of his wife, Mary Biamonte, and Danny Lococo, debuted here June 3 with a third-place finish at 4 1/2 furlongs. The winner, Safraction, returned to finish second to Banner Bill in the Victoria.

Both of Jenna’s Wabbit’s races came in Ontario-sired company.

“He was too green the first time,” said Biamonte. “It was hard for him to negotiate the final turn.

“Last time, he was on the wrong lead, too. I’m expecting him to improve.”

Eurico Rosa da Silva retains the mount on Jenna’s Wabbit, who will break from the number 3 post and is scheduled to concede two pounds to each of his rivals as the 119-pound highweight.

Jomelo, second when competing in an open maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs in his debut here May 29, will be adding Lasix in his second start for trainer Sid Attard.

“We started looking at a stakes right away,” said Attard, who had nominated Jomelo to the June 18 Victoria.

“We decided to wait for this one. He’s going to appreciate the extra distance.”

Tyler Pizzaro will be back aboard Jomelo, who drew the No. 5 post.

Making Amends will be making his first career start, but trainer Mark Casse is coming in on a confident note.

“I like him a lot,” said Casse. “I think he’s a pretty good horse.

“I’ve been aiming at this one for a little while. I knew I couldn’t get a race into him first.”

Casse won the 2003 Clarendon with Maple Syple, who was coming in off an impressive maiden victory and went on to finish second in Saratoga’s Grade 2 Schuylerville.

Patrick Husbands, who has teamed up with Casse as half of the runaway leading jockey-trainer tandem at the meeting, gets the call aboard Making Amends, who drew post 6 and will be racing with Lasix.

Katryan likes the spot

Small fields don’t rate highly with racetrack management and horseplayers, for the same reasons.

But the field of six in Sunday’s $250,000 Bison City is just fine with trainer Abraham Katryan, who will sent out Pleasantfriday in search of some black type in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile feature for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

“She’s been training amazingly,” said Katryan, who conditions Pleasantfriday for Robin Singh’s Trinity Racing Stable.

Pleasantfriday, purchased for $20,000 at the local select yearling sale, raced three times as a 2-year-old with her best effort a second in her finale over one mile and 70 yards.

After wintering in Ontario, Pleasantfriday came back into the track and began her campaign with a fourth-place finish over one mile and 70 yards here May 14.

Just over two weeks later, Pleasantfriday returned at 1 1/16 miles and dominated the proceedings en route to a three-quarter-length maiden victory.

“She loves a distance of ground,” said Katryan. “She likes to run all day.”

Sunny Singh, who has ridden Pleasantfriday in each of her starts this year, will be back aboard for the Bison City as he seeks the biggest win of his career at age 30,

Filly proving versatile

Weekend Romance, a rising star in the Ontario-sired 3-year-old filly ranks, recorded her second win in as many starts this season here Thursday afternoon.

Trying turf for the first time in a restricted second-level allowance at seven furlongs, Weekend Romance stalked the pace and then took charge for a 4 3/4-length victory under regular rider Jono Jones.

“She seemed to enjoy her move to the turf,” said Catherine Day Phillips, who trains Weekend Romance for Rocco d’Alimonte and Frank Annecchini.

“It’s a little bit quicker back, than we might have wanted, but she’s been training so well.”

In her 2011 debut, on June 12, Weekend Romance had displayed a similar style when knocking out her first condition with a 6 1/2-length score over six furlongs of Polytrack.

“It’s impressive, how she’s doing it. She’s very, very fast but she’s sitting, waiting for her cue. She seems to be maturing in the right direction.”

Weekend Romance, a $25,000 buy at the local select yearling sale, started three times as a 2-year-old, all at six furlongs.

After winning her maiden in smart fashion first crack out Weekend Romance ran third in the Fanfreluche Stakes, which was won by the debuting Inglorious, and then closed out her campaign with a nose defeat at the hands of the talented Sinister Quill in a first-level allowance on Nov. 24.

“She needed a little bit more time off than we’d anticipated,” said Day Phillips.

Road trip to the Fort

A number of Woodbine-based horses and riders will be heading down the road to Fort Erie for Monday’s $125,000 Rainbow Connection Stakes.

The Rainbow Connection, a five-furlong turf race for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, attracted a field of nine.

Sans Sousi, to be ridden by Luis Contreras, will be the most prominent member of the Woodbine procession, which also includes Articulating, Tennis Braclet, and Classy Katherine.

Matt Moore has the call on Articulating, with regular rider Justin Stein getting the call on Tennis Braclet and Jesse Campbell picking up the mount on Classy Katherine.

Other Woodbine riders will include Emile Ramsammy, on Bent Attorney, and Gerry Olguin aboard Shesadozer, who is shipping in from Penn National.