Woodbine: Canadian Navy fresh for Friday optional claimer on turf

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Canadian Navy’s only race this year was decent, and his freshness could be an asset in Friday’s Woodbine headliner, a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer on the grass.

Canadian Navy had been idle for nearly a year when he contested a very tough optional claimer on Sept. 1. He raced in fourth until the eighth pole, then weakened to finish fifth behind Phil’s Dream, who subsequently won the Grade 1 Nearctic and Overskate Stakes. Lucky Lotto and Colleen’s Sailor also exited that six-furlong Polytrack sprint to score.

Canadian Navy won his lone turf attempt in a seven-furlong allowance in September 2012, when he earned a career-high 88 Beyer Speed Figure after beating the good Mr. Online.

Luis Contreras retains the mount on Canadian Navy, a 4-year-old trained by Josie Carroll for owner Earle Mack.

The entry of Danger Bay and Buongiorno Johnny should go favored in the eighth, if it remains on the grass.

Danger Bay is winless in five starts at the meet, but he wound up second in three of those outings. He got chewed up in a speed duel Aug. 25 in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes and found 1 1/16 miles too far when fourth most recently.

Buongiorno Johnny figures to lead the way in his first appearance since he wired $50,000 claimers going six furlongs Aug. 31. A stakes winner at 2, the 4-year-old gelding stayed 6 1/2 furlongs in his triumph over $40,000 foes July 17.

A hot Patrick Husbands was named on both Norseman Racing Stable runners, who are trained by Sid Attard.

Hemlock Channel has been laid up since May 12, when he ran second in Consolidator Joe’s track-record-breaking performance in a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer on the Polytrack. He has worked quickly for successful layoff trainer Lorne Richards, who will give Gerry Olguin a leg up.

Hemlock Channel has never competed on the grass, a surface for which he has some breeding on the dam’s side.

Burnum has had a break since finishing sixth in the Play the King. He graduated on the turf in his final 2012 appearance in October, defeating the useful Moose Vasko.

Zeb should be prominent from the outset. He ran second to Phil’s Dream in the aforementioned Sept. 1 contest and then found seven furlongs too far when a distant third Sept. 28.