Woodbine: Seen It All Before gets some class relief

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Seen It All Before gets some big-time class relief in Thursday’s Woodbine headliner, an Ontario-sired allowance over a mile and 70 yards for nonwinners of two, which lured seven other 2-year-olds.

Seen It All Before, a son of Queen’s Plate winner Niigon, is bred to be a late bloomer, but the full brother to La Prevoyante Stakes winner Reconnect didn’t take long to earn his diploma. After ending up fourth in his seven-furlong debut, he blew away Ontario-sired maidens over a mile and 70 yards with the aid of an outside bias Sept. 9. For covering the distance in 1:44.45, he was awarded a 57 Beyer Speed Figure.

Seen It All Before tried stakes company Oct. 9, in the Grade 3 Grey, but he was never in contention in the 1 1/16-mile event and beat just one rival in the eight-horse field.

Seen It All Before breezed five-eighths over a muddy training track in 1:02.60 last Saturday for trainer Ashlee Brnjas, who will give leading rider Luis Contreras a leg up.

Jade Prince is trying a route of ground for the first time, with a blend of speed and stamina in his pedigree. After graduating second time out by six lengths with a 44 Beyer, he finished a well-beaten fifth in two restricted stakes, the Simcoe and Bull Page.

Emma Wilson will ride Jade Prince for trainer Laurie Silvera.

“He’s a pretty decent horse,” Silvera said. “He definitely wants to go a distance of ground.”

Palmetto Moon was a wide sixth in the Bull Page, after trailing in the rapidly run Simcoe. Neither of his two half-siblings were victorious going long, and the average win distance of his sire Tomahawk’s progeny is six furlongs. This will be his first start with blinkers.

Hitec Dave, the possible pacemaker, rode a speed bias in his triumph over $20,000 maidens three weeks ago. He got a 51 Beyer in that seven-furlong sprint.

Hitec Dave is a full-brother to Brite Sammy, who recently won his maiden around two turns on the dirt at Fort Erie, after placing in several routes here on the Polytrack.

Stage Best was beaten in double digits in each of his first three races. He improved dramatically Oct. 2, when he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden special at 32-1 after mounting a wide rally from the back of the pack.

Safraction hasn’t shown much since the spring, when he finished second in the open Victoria Stakes after graduating at first asking.