Woodbine: Ruvee tries turf in Friday sprint feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With the promising Skyrish stuck on the also-eligible list, Friday’s Woodbine feature seems wide open, and Ruvee should be prominent in the Ontario-sired allowance race scheduled for six furlongs on grass.

Ruvee, 4, came into his own in the fall, when he ran second in a six-furlong allowance race after a gate-to-wire triumph in an open maiden special weight race.

Ruvee was never in the hunt in his first two outings this spring, both at 5 1/2 furlongs. Most recently when racing six furlongs, he reverted to a front-running style and only gave way late to finish second in his first race with Lasix.

Ruvee has never raced on turf, but the son of Tomahawk possesses some turf breeding. David Moran will ride him again for trainer Frank Huarte.

Skyrish has started twice for trainer Ian Howard. He earned a big 86 Beyer Speed Figure while beating the talented Canuspellpatience in his five-furlong debut on Polytrack on May 18.

Three weeks later, Skyrish pressed favored Click on the lead in the Bold Ruckus Stakes, before they were both overtaken by a charging Langstaff in the final strides. Skyrish finished just a half-length back in third in the six-furlong turf sprint.

Killin Me Smalls and A Lifetime of War are two other also eligibles with a chance, even though both are exiting a subpar performance.

Saratoga Boy is out of a mare who has produced four turf winners from eight starters and might like the surface switch.

Saratoga Boy ran a unique race most recently in his first allowance attempt, in which he dropped back while four wide on the turn before closing belatedly for third. The winner, Phil’s Dream, came back to capture a tough Ontario-sired allowance race.

Dr. Harkness failed to stay a mile and 70 yards when favored in a race that was taken off the turf June 15. He split Phil’s Dream and Saratoga Boy in his penultimate start, his second of the season.

Dr. Harkness has a solid turf record, including a neck loss in an allowance sprint here in September.

On the Nose graduated in a relatively slow maiden special on Polytrack on June 9. There’s turf on both sides of his immediate family, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an impact as a longshot.

Orbit Dancer and Where’s the Bay are both experimenting on the grass, with minimal breeding for the surface.

King Forester is returning from a one-year layoff and can fire while fresh as evidenced by his victorious debut.