Woodbine: Game Ball in for a tag on the turf

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The win machine Game Ball will compete with a selling price for the first time since last summer on Wednesday night at Woodbine, in a $50,000 claimer scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Game Ball, a John Oxley homebred, romped over $7,500 opposition at Fort Erie last August. The closer went on to capture each of his next three starts there, all in marathon starter allowances on the dirt.

Game Ball extended his win streak to six races early in the winter, when he beat $10,000 starter types on the grass in back-to-back outings at Gulfstream. He lost by a nose there Feb. 16, but then rebounded with a head score traveling nine furlongs March 18.

Most recently May 1 at Churchill, Game Ball was a well-beaten second behind the former Woodbine stalwart Major Marvel, who came right back to air in another $10,000 starter.

Game Ball is being reunited with Luis Contreras, who was aboard for three of his triumphs. His trainer, Mark Casse, and Contreras combined to win Sunday’s Victoria Park Stakes with Prospective.

In another race on the card, Casse sends out Glowing Monarch in a first-level allowance sprint on the grass.

Glowing Monarch started twice at 2, which included a second-out maiden win on the Polytrack. Following a seven-month layoff May 21, he checked in fifth after a troubled trip in a turf allowance. He is adding blinkers for Wednesday’s engagement, and Patrick Husbands retains the mount.

Jomelo, like Glowing Monarch, is a 3-year-old facing some older opposition. He graduated over six furlongs on the grass last August and went on the finish seventh in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes and third in the Cup and Saucer Stakes. His two races this spring on the Polytrack were forgettable.

Eurico Da Silva will get a leg up from trainer Sid Attard on Jomelo.

Run to the Bank defeated Glowing Monarch when a closing second in his first grass experience May 21. He was previously a lower claimer, but was awarded an 82 Beyer Speed Figure when he crushed $20,000 nonwinners-of-two types with the aid of an inside bias May 5.

Mobil Unit is winless since 2010, when he ran second in three straight stakes, including the Princes of Wales. His lone turf victory from seven starts came against maidens as a 2-year-old in 2009.

Hawaii Dancer is changing surfaces off a charging debut score over $16,000 maidens. He breezed five-eighths in a rapid 1:00 last Friday on the Polytrack for successful turf trainer John LeBlanc Jr.