Wyoming Bill moves up in class off three solid races
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Inner turf expert Wyoming Bill moves up in class off a nifty score on Thursday in a conditioned allowance/optional claimer at Woodbine, a 7 1/2-furlong race around two turns of the inner course.
Owned and bred by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, Wyoming Bill has reached full bloom this year at 4 under the guidance of trainer Catherine Day Phillips. After missing the board in his season opener on the dirt at Keeneland, the beautifully bred son of Curlin dropped a nose decision in a seven-furlong allowance on the Tapeta here May 10.
Wyoming Bill ran lights-out in his next two outings, both traveling 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf. He earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure when a close second to the classy Frosted Over on May 31 and then cleared the first allowance condition by a half-length after closing from far back under Emma-Jayne Wilson on June 21.
The sixth race lured seven others, including Society’s Thunder, who should be on or near what figures to be a moderate pace.
Society’s Thunder was disqualified from first to sixth for interference in his May 18 comeback at this level on the Tapeta. He met tougher on the inner turf June 1, finishing a troubled third behind stakes winners Never Surprised and Piper’s Factor. Most recently, he attended the pace in a seven-furlong main turf sprint before checking in second to the charging favorite Lucky Score.
Jose Campos will ride Society’s Thunder again for owner-trainer Dominic Polsinelli, who claimed the 6-year-old for $14,000 two years ago.
Trainer Marty Drexler sends out Ocean Atlantique and Ever Dangerous. Both are in with a chance.
A stakes winner at 3 in France, Ocean Atlantique has been freshened since TEC Racing claimed him for $35,000 at Gulfstream Park on March 16 when he finished fifth among three next-out winners. The erratic 8-year-old is winless since landing an allowance/$150,000 optional claimer at Churchill Downs in the fall of 2023.
Ever Dangerous won a first-level allowance/optional claimer here on the inner turf when tagged for $32,000 in June. He led until late stretch when a close fourth most recently while negotiating about 1 1/8 miles at this level on the main turf.
Apprentice Pietro Moran inherits the mount on Ever Dangerous from Rafael Hernandez, who has the call on Ocean Atlantique. Hernandez is 10 for 42 at the meet for Drexler, who has an 18 percent strike rate off a claim on turf over the past five years, with a return on investment of $1.48.
Tiz Romantic didn’t fire his best shot last time on the main course after a chalky second behind Ever Dangerous on the inner. Trainer Steve Chircop has won at a 21 percent clip second time off a claim during the last five years, with an ROI of $1.87.
Competing the field are Cozy Curlin Kitten, Journeyman, and Lost Ark.
Post time for the appealing eight-race card is 3:10 p.m. Eastern
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