Woodbine: Jade Dragon seeks second career win in Friday allowance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jade Dragon brings stakes credentials to Friday’s co-featured third race at Woodbine and should be favored in the 6 1/2-furlong allowance for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

Jade Dragon showed precocity at 2, when he graduated at first asking in early June, but he sat out two months last summer after ending far back in the high-quality Clarendon Stakes on June 30.

Jade Dragon was a distant third as the favorite when he reappeared Aug. 29 in a $40,000 claimer, and he subsequently finished sixth in the Bull Page Stakes. However, he rebounded Nov. 7 in the seven-furlong Frost King Stakes, finishing a close second to Honorable Guest while putting up a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jade Dragon got the winter off after he was a troubled third in another Ontario-sired stakes, the 1 1/16-mile Kingarvie. Pyrite Mountain, the Kingarvie winner, has since evolved into one of the leading 3-year-olds at Woodbine.

Jade Dragon ran a winning race in his season opener in a six-furlong allowance May 18, but had to settle for second behind his promising stablemate Langstaff. He earned a respectable 77 Beyer under Tyler Pizarro, who will ride him again Friday for Bob Tiller, the meet’s second-leading trainer.

Olivier is a wake-up possibility in his second appearance of the year. He was a well-beaten fifth behind runaway winner Click, a contender in Saturday’s Bold Ruckus Stakes, when he came off the shelf in a five-furlong allowance April 27.

Olivier graduated in a romp in his second start at 2, when he went from 5 1/2 furlongs to seven furlongs, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an impact with the April 27 tightener under his belt.

Emma-Jayne Wilson retains the mount on the Reade Baker-trained Olivier, who worked five-eighths in a bullet 58.60 seconds on the training track May 31.

True Executive returns from a sabbatical in Friday’s other allowance for Ontario-sired nonwinners of two, the eighth race, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up.

True Executive, 4, has been idle since November 2011, when he ran third in the Kingarvie after ending up second to Jenna’s Wabbit in the Frost King. He defeated maidens in his only other outing in October 2011.

Wilson will ride True Executive for trainer Paul Buttigieg, who’s had some success with horses coming off long layoffs.

Dancing With Frank is a viable alternative to True Executive. He was blocked behind rivals on the turn before making up some ground when fourth in his season opener May 19, a race he seemingly needed.