Woodbine: Hold That Echo looks like major factor

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The versatile Hold That Echo should be a player in Friday’s seventh race at Woodbine, which is the first leg of a marathon starter allowance series.

The nine-furlong turf route is for fillies and mares who have competed for a claiming price of no more than $20,000 in 2010-2011, and it carries a purse of $51,400. Hold That Echo had a solid 2010 campaign, during which she won 4 of 9 starts and more than $70,000. She ran hot and cold on the grass last summer, which included a victory over $40,000 conditioned claimers.

Hold That Echo won back-to-back Polytrack events in the fall, both against $12,500 opposition. She hasn’t seen action since a narrow loss in a $16,000 claimer Dec. 1, in which she rallied on the outside over an inside-biased surface.

Gerry Olguin will ride Hold That Echo for trainer Scott Fairlie, who is 1 for 7 first time off the claim with six-month-plus comebackers over the past five years. That Fairlie is protecting her off the layoff, when he could run her for any price, is a positive sign, and she has been working on a regular schedule.

Nasiriyah’s Song, on the other hand, had a busy winter and spring in Southern California, where she was competitive on occasion without finding the mark.

Nasiriyah’s Song finished fifth in back-to-back middle claimers at Santa Anita and Hollywood early in the spring. She earned a career-high Beyer Spoeed Figure of 81 in the second of those engagements.

Nasiriyah’s Song was reunited with trainer Arthur Silvera for her last outing here on the Polytrack, when she battled for the lead most of the way before tiring to fourth.

Megavella outran several of her current rivals when she got home on top in a recent $20,000 claimer, only to be disqualified for interference in the stretch. In three grass starts, she failed to crack the top three.

Intothewilderness won the aforementioned $20,000 seller by disqualification, which was her 12th triumph in 47 starts. She has an excellent grass record, but did all of her damage on that surface at Fort Erie.

Hint of Lemon has a win from eight turf tries, but the 5-year-old’s best turf performances took place early in her career.

Secret Skills was beaten in double digits in both of her starts at the meet. She captured a $40,000 claimer the last time that she started on the grass in October.