Woodbine: Buongiorno Johnny, Indian Evening meet again in Swynford

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Buongiorno Johnny will try to turn the tables on Indian Evening on Sunday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Swynford Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint that lured just three other 2-year-olds.

Buongiorno Johnny and Indian Evening both debuted in the faster split of a six-furlong maiden special July 10, and Indian Evening rallied to prevail by daylight over Buongiorno Johnny. The final time of 1:09.91 translated into a 70 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Sid Attard said Buongiorno Johnny wasn’t cranked up for his opener, because he had stablemate Maritimer primed for the race.

“He wasn’t supposed to run then, but we put him in because they split the race,” Attard recalled.

The well-regarded Maritimer ended up winning the slower division, in 1:10.61.

Buongiorno Johnny and Maritimer met July 31 in the restricted Vandal Stakes. Buongiorno Johnny won by a head over the wide-closing Maritimer, earning a 72 Beyer in the six-furlong sprint.

“I wasn’t surprised, the way they ran for us,” said Attard. “We preferred Johnny, because of the distance. I’ve always liked him, from Da One. He’s a very good size.”

Buongiorno Johnny breezed five-eighths on Sept. 4 in 1:00 under Patrick Husbands, who was aboard for his maiden triumph.

“He worked very good the other day,” said Attard. “Patrick liked the way he breezed. He said the horse has improved from his first race.”

Indian Evening, a $110,000 yearling purchase sired by the popular Indian Charlie, is trained by Josie Carroll for Vinery Stable.

After his debut, Carroll shipped Indian Evening to Saratoga several weeks before the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, and had him work over the track. The track came up sloppy for that 6 1/2-furlong event, and Indian Evening raced in the midst of a four-way speed battle on the backstretch. After dropping back on the turn, he re-rallied to finish a distant third.

“The horse ran a good race at Saratoga,” said Carroll. “On a sloppy track that was hard to close on, he managed to do some closing. He ran a great first race, and hopefully, he can repeat that. I think he’ll like the distance.”

Lockout is in with a shot. He was a front-running second in his lone outing in a six-furlong maiden special on the dirt at Churchill July 3, receiving a 72 Beyer.

Ocala Son crushed $40,000 maidens traveling six furlongs in his July 30 debut.

Don’t Send a Boy was supplemented at a cost of $3,000.