Woodbine: Idratherbeatthespa looks sharp for turf route

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Idratherbeatthespa recently found a home in $40,000 conditioned-claiming company, and she should be well backed in Friday’s fifth race at Woodbine for nonwinners-of-two fillies and mares on the grass.

Idratherbeatthespa failed to hit the board in five 2-year-old appearances, which included three starts in stakes. She didn’t show much in her first two outings this year, but the drop from $40,000 to $20,000 on June 16 enabled her to graduate while going 1 1/16 miles, the distance of Friday’s race.

Idratherbeatthespa tried the turf for the first time in the Aug. 1 Ontario Damsel, but wasn’t a factor in the one-mile stakes for Ontario-breds. She was favored in a $40,000 claiming route for nonwinners of two on the grass most recently, in which she rallied inside to finish third. Proper Heiress, the fourth horse, returned to finish second in a $40,000 turf sprint.

Patrick Husbands will ride Idratherbeatthespa for Mark Casse, Woodbine’s runaway leading trainer.

Maryland-based Kitten’s House will be among the favorites, even though her high-percentage trainer, Mike Pino, has been winning at a subpar rate here of late.

Kitten’s House was claimed from her maiden triumph for $30,000 at Keeneland in April. She was fifth in her first try for Pino, in a first-level allowance at Monmouth, and then finished second in an optional claimer at Colonial Downs.

Most recently in a lucrative 1 1/16-mile allowance at Monmouth, Kitten’s House checked in fifth after a wide journey. Luis Contreras will ride the daughter of Kitten’s Joy.

Cutie Girl is stepping up off a narrow loss in an allowance route at Fort Erie, which had a purse of just $15,686. After finishing second in six of her first seven starts at the meet, she finally graduated for $12,500 on the Polytrack on Aug. 10. Omar Moreno, who was aboard for that maiden win, has the mount.

Sweet Argument edged out Idratherbeatthespa for second after pressing a fast pace Aug. 1. She couldn’t keep up last time out in nonwinners-of-three company.

Prado Girl defeated $16,000 maidens at 16-1 on the Polytrack on Aug. 17, when she was ridden by the 10-pound apprentice Jeffrey Alderson. She gets in light under that bug again Friday and has had some success on turf in the past.

Parvati defeated $10,000 maidens on the Fort Erie sod after mounting a wide bid from the back of the pack Aug. 16. She might not be out of her league with these.