Woodbine: Miser looks strong in allowance sprint

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Miser cleared the first Ontario-sired allowance condition at a short price in her last outing and should be favored again in Thursday’s Woodbine headliner, a nonwinners-of-three allowance for Ontario-sired fillies and mares.

Miser had a productive two-race spring campaign for owner/trainer Steve Asmussen, who sent her out to win a five-furlong maiden special in her second start off the bench May 25. Following a seven-week break July 17, she disappointed in an allowance over 6 1/2 furlongs, which is the distance of Thursday’s feature.

Miser got back on track Aug. 1, when she lost a nail-biter in a six-furlong sprint to Dreamy Moonlite, who returned to win a tougher Ontario-sired allowance convincingly.

Most recently Aug. 17, Miser experimented on the grass, and the daughter of good turf sire Old Forester prevailed in a workmanlike manner, earning a career-high 71 Beyer Speed Figure.

Leading rider Luis Contreras retains the mount on Miser, who has breezed twice on the training track this month.

Zee Beauty figures to be the second choice in the wagering. Her spring form was mediocre at best, but her second turf attempt of the meet July 2 resulted in a front-running allowance triumph over seven furlongs.

Zee Beauty was overmatched in the July 23 Passing Mood Stakes, but she rebounded a month later on the Polytrack, when she finished second to a peaking Dreamy Moonlite.

Eurico Da Silva, who was aboard for Zee Beauty’s last victory, will get a leg up from trainer Mike DePaulo on the daughter of Bold Executive.

Soap Opera Star has scored twice from four starts this year for trainer Don MacRae. She led all the way to earn her diploma in a seven-furlong maiden special when returning from a six-month absence June 3.

After a troubled turf trip and a fade job in a Polytrack route, Soap Opera Star captured a six-furlong allowance on the Polytrack on Sept. 3 under Emma Wilson, who will ride the Brian Marcy homebred again.

A Little too Late checked in a distant third behind Dreamy Moonlite and Zee Beauty on Aug. 27, after breaking slowly and racing wide. Press Here was fourth in the same event, and they both look like minor players again.

Yonge’s Harbour wired the field at 30-1 last time out in a nine-furlong allowance on the grass. The erratic 6-year-old was competitive on Polytrack during her formative years.