Woodbine: Congor Bay in sharp form
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A solid group of $40,000 claimers will square off in Friday’s sixth race at Woodbine, and Congor Bay should be favored in the six-furlong Polytrack sprint.
Congor Bay captured the 2009 San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita when trainer Mark Casse had a string there that winter. Casse lost him for $25,000 last April 16, when he was claimed by owner-trainer Steve Asmussen.
Congor Bay hasn’t been worse than second in five starts for Asmussen. He won back-to-back races in the spring against $40,000 and $32,000 opposition, but found seven furlongs a bit too far when he was beaten a neck for $32,000 July 16.
Congor Bay put away another front-runner before giving way late to stablemate Bogue Chitto in a $50,000 contest Aug. 12. Most recently, he switched to the grass and was a fast-closing winner in a key $40,000 event, from which Bogue Chitto exited to score in a quick $20,000 claimer.
Congor Bay will be ridden again by Eurico Da Silva, who has a 21 percent strike rate for Asmussen.
Trelawny is realistically spotted off a first-level allowance tally Aug. 1, which produced future stakes winner Bug’s Boy and subsequent allowance winner Occasional View.
Trelawny was scooped up for $30,000 in June by trainer Terry Jordan, who’s won at a 30 percent clip second-time off the claim over the past five years. Patrick Husbands will ride the fast-working Trelawny.
D’oro Diablo had a productive first half of the meet, during which he won two optional claimers. He struggled in his last two starts, however, and is dropping to a new low following a bullet three-furlong blowout.
The consistent Firetheexecutive took some time to clear the first allowance condition. He finally turned the trick Oct. 2, while getting just a 74 Beyer Figure, which is well below the Beyer par of 83 for this class.
Kirkland Lake ran the race of his life to land a $25,000 event Sept. 18, when he mounted an eye-catching move on the turn en route to earning an 89 Beyer. He has improved significantly since being claimed for just $12,500 in August by trainer Paul Attard, who possesses impressive numbers with horses coming off a victory.
Steady Stuart is adding blinkers following three straight dull efforts in allowance company. He was a successful Ontario-sired allowance competitor in the spring and early summer.
The speedy Octavo was shocking 20-1 winner in a $32,000 sprint that was taken off the turf Sept. 22, but he couldn’t keep up in an Oct. 2 allowance.