Woodbine: Hunters Bay returns from layoff in Labeeb

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Hunters Bay, last year’s Canadian champion older male, returns from a sabbatical Saturday at Woodbine in the $100,000 Labeeb Stakes, a one-mile route scheduled for the grass.

Hunters Bay was sidelined due to bone bruising and hasn’t raced since September of last year, when he finished second to Wise Dan in his turf debut in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. He had a highly productive 2012 campaign, during which he won two Grade 3 stakes and was second to Uncaptured in the Sovereign Award voting for Canadian Horse of the Year.

Hunters Bay was supplemented to the Labeeb for $2,000 by Stronach Stable. Regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson said the Reade Baker-trained 6-year-old is in good shape.

“He’s doing really well,” Wilson said. “We’ve just been taking our time with him, letting him tell us what’s going on. He’s been breezing consistently every week.”

Two of Hunters Bay’s strengths are his versatility and consistency. His only poor performance last year came in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga.

“It was very hot in Saratoga and that track has a really unique dirt surface,” Wilson recalled. “We breeze him mostly on the dirt, and he handles it just fine. He ran like gangbusters on the dirt at Gulfstream. He demolished older horses here going long on Polytrack.”

Among the others entered, Grand Arch should be the main threat to Hunters Bay.

Grand Arch evolved into one of the better turf runners on the grounds this year, although he has yet to land a stakes. After winning an optional claimer convincingly in June, Grand Arch wound up third in both the Grade 2 Nijinsky and the Grade 2 Sky Classic.

Grand Arch has been idle since the Aug. 18 Sky Classic, in which he finished 3 1/4 lengths back of victorious Forte Dei Marmi, who came back to take the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf.

“We gave him a freshening,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “A mile looks like a good distance for him. I’d love to win a stakes with him. He’s been knocking on the door all year in good company. I think it’s an ideal spot for him. We’ve been working on getting him to rate a little. He’s in very good order.”

Trainer Sid Attard entered the Stronach Stable-owned Money Talker, who won in his last effort on grass two starts back in optional-claiming company Aug. 4.