Woodbine: Fighting Chris cuts back in Friday sprint feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The aptly named Fighting Chris will be looking to cap his 3-year-old campaign on a winning note in Friday’s Woodbine feature, a $56,000 allowance for Ontario-sired nonwinners of three.

Fighting Chris, trained by Kevin Attard for Terra Racing Stable, has been a model of consistency since the spring. A month after his nose loss to Go Wes Go on July 13, he cleared the nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired allowance condition going seven furlongs with a 70 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fighting Chris wound up a respectable fourth after racing wide throughout the $125,000 Vice Regent, a one-mile turf stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds on Sept. 1. He went on to finish third, fourth, and then second in a trio of Ontario-sired allowances.

Omar Moreno returns after a one-race absence to ride Fighting Chris, who shouldn’t mind the cutback from seven to six furlongs Friday.
Trainer Reade Baker entered Speyside and Olivier, who both went six wide on the turn in their last outing.

Speyside parlayed that wide journey into a come-from-behind score in a fast-paced allowance that came off the grass Nov. 3. The fifth and 10th-place finishers from that event have both since won in $10,000 conditioned-claiming company.

Jim McAleney retains the mount on Speyside, a 4-year-old owned by Bear Stable.

Olivier made his way to the outside after breaking from post 1 en route to finishing sixth behind Fighting Chris on Nov. 27. He was previously a minor player in two other allowances, after taking the long way home. Apprentice Sheena Ryan, who was aboard for his allowance win at Fort Erie in July, has the call on Olivier.

Hawks Got Fire is one of seven single winners in the 13-horse field. He wired Ontario-sired maiden special opponents going five furlongs Nov. 6 and could lead the way here with Emma-Jayne Wilson inheriting the mount from Gary Boulanger.

Boulanger is sticking with Orbit Express, who brings good closing form to this contest. His lone victory came against maidens in his 2-year-old debut over two years ago.

Rhythm of Rock crushed $25,000 maidens three back with a 76 Beyer and then doubled up at the first Ontario-sired allowance condition. He dueled three wide for the lead on the turn before fading to finish ninth behind Fighting Chris on Nov. 27.

Where’s the Bay and Yer Blues are each returning on short rest off a fine effort Dec. 6, when they both benefited from an inside bias.
Executive Runner is shedding the blinkers while jumping up in class.