Woodbine: Woodbourne stands out in turf route

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbourne, the third-place finisher in last year’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, merits top billing in Thursday’s second race, a third-level optional claimer that is scheduled for nine furlongs on the grass.

Woodbourne has proven to be a very profitable claim for The Very Dry Stable and trainer Bob Tiller, who scooped him up for $50,000 last July. And they haven’t even had their picture taken with him yet.

Woodbourne just missed in the nine-furlong With Approval Stakes last August, before ending up third behind Court Vision and The Usual Q. T. in the $1 million Woodbine Mile. He ran a rare clunker while taking the long way home in the six-furlong Nearctic Stakes in October and then capped his campaign with a narrow loss in the one-mile Labeeb Stakes.

Following an eight-month layoff June 25, Woodbourne finished just three lengths back in eighth in the Grade 2 King Edward, a one-mile stakes that attracted a stellar field. Leading rider Luis Contreras will guide him again Thursday.

Giant’s Tomb is competing with a $75,000 tag, following a dull effort in the 11-furlong allowance prep for the Singspiel Stakes.

Giant’s Tomb checked in fourth in two important stakes last year, the Plate Trial and the Queen’s Plate. His turf form is spotty, but he did win an optional claimer Feb. 20 at Fair Grounds and was burdened with a wide trip when seventh in a subsequent Grade 2 stakes there.

Emile Ramsammy has the mount on Giant’s Tomb, who is trained by Mark Frostad for Sam-Son Farm.

Guipago and Cobotown Ron will form a Fieldstone Farm-owned entry trained by Analisa Delmas.

Guipago hasn’t accomplished much since he upset Society’s Chairman last September in the restricted Halton Stakes. His best placing in three starts this year was a sixth in the Singspiel prep, and he was never a factor most recently in the Steady Growth Stakes on Polytrack.

Cobotown Ron also is mired in a slump. His last victory took place in an optional claimer at Fort Erie in June 2010.

Zarroc is returning from an eight-month absence. He finished second in a nine-furlong optional claimer on the grass in June 2010, before ending up seventh in the Grade 3 Singspiel.

Sangore had a very wide trip before trailing the field in a June 12 optional claimer, but finished just seven lengths in arrears.

Main-track-only entrant Lady’s First Cat is adding blinkers off a third in the Steady Growth.