11 Colts make the trip to Canada to try and steal the royal silverware.

11 Three year old colts have come to Toronto, Ontario and the Woodbine Turf course for the First leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.  The G1 event with a payout of $750,000 will cover the distance of a mile and a quarter (10 furlongs).  We have assembled a truly International field for this year’s running with 4 horses bred in England, 4 in Ireland and 3 from Kentucky.  We have only 3 previous graded winners and all of them have been Grade 3’s, while 4 runners will be making their graded stakes debuts (2 of them their stakes debut).   Three of the runners will be making a surface change for this race.

Now a look at the field:

This son of Frankel out of the mare Hopon Hopoff (Dubawi) returns to the turf after a second unsuccessful foray on the dirt for the corzak barn.  His only career win was allowance company as a juvenile.  Has made 5 graded starts with his only cash being a 2^nd place in the G2 International with a 95 SP back in November.  Despite his very regal turf bloodlines and drawing the rail, I will look for one with a better track record.

This matte stable entry will be taking to the gate in a graded stakes for the first time.  A son of Invicible Spirit out of the mare Polaca (Sepoy) comes in off his best performance speed of 99 in the “Devils Diamond Turf Route” finishing in second place covering 9.5 panels.  Has shown steady improvement in 3yo season while stretching out to longer distances.  I won’t completely count him out but let’s keep looking.

This scratch bred son of Exceed And Excel will represent the 50away barn and will be in his first ever stakes race of any kind.  Comes in off 3 straight in the money finishes, the last being a win in a NW4x allowance posting up a 98 SP.  Has cashed in 5 of his 6 career starts with 2 wins.  Recent form and the lack of big time wins in the field could be to his benefit in this one.

The champions20 barn entry is the winningest horse in the field.  Has 4 prior graded races with only cash coming in the G2 Griffen in May over a yielding turf finishing in third with a 101 SP over 10f.  Has 3 wins in 6 starts since being acquired last September.  He is a scratch bred son of Intello and has shown a knack for coming home in first.  I think he will be involved in the decision here.

This son of Sepoy from the mare Sardina Blues (Drosselmeyer) will be making his first trip on the turf after 10 races on the dirt.  His last 3 have all been graded 9f tests, with a win at the G3 The Scam with a 100 SP.  Missed the board in last 2 after 8 straight cashes prompting the chono stable to send him to the grass.  If he can handle the surface change he will have a shot in this one.

The outinfront stable sends us the scratch bred son of Bal A Bali who has won 3 in a row and 4 of his last 5.  The only time not in the money was his first ever race.  Last out won the Universal Derby but returns to the turf.  Won the G3 Force Stakes in only graded start and put up a 101 SP in an allowance win before that.  This slugger has shown he can win at this distance and I really like his chances in this one.

The scratch bred son of Australia is the least experienced horse in the field with only 5 starts and will be going to the gate for the first time in a stakes race at any level.  Won last out in NW2L allowance over 10f with a 100 SP.  Broke his maiden in first outing as a 3 year old.  The splitenz barn colt has made speed improvement in every race of career so if he can handle the big atmosphere could be your longshot special.

The jeffjr99 stable saddles up this son of Carpe Diem out of the mare URC Premeirship (Speightstown).  After 4 unsuccessful dirt trips switched to the turf and has 2 wins and 2 seconds in 6 races.  Last out ran second in the listed “Road To Euro Glory IV” over 10f putting out a 104 SP in Sweeden but will be making Graded stakes debut.  Got to love that top end speed that will give him a shot here.

6 of his 10 career starts have been in graded stakes for the redhill3 barn.  This son of Golden Horn from the mare Old Man Dan (Dansili) has nice turf racing bloodlines.  Faded to 6^th last out at the G1 Italian Derby over 11f.  Put up a 106 SP finishing 2nd by a head in the G2 South African Classic.  Has a ton of big race experience to call on and that means they will have to know where he is at in the stretch run.

The ML favorite comes from the stickem stable has 7 straight graded starts but only has 2 seconds and a third from them and all those were as a juvenile.  Competed in Equinics 2018 for EWC running 4^th.  Last out in G2 Captain Hook put out a 102 SP but ended up in 7^th place.  The son of Giant’s Causeway out of the mare Oil On Top (Unbridled’s Song) will be making only 2^nd start on the turf, winning the other.  The rough 3yo season and the surface change leads me to think I should look elsewhere.

This son of Galileo from the mare Past Tense (Giant’s Causeway) has 7 graded races in 9 career starts for the eminc10 barn.  Last out won the G3 Roy Rogers with a blistering 108 SP.  Won the G3 Mother Lois as juvenile in second start of his career.  I see a couple of knocks against this speedster; the outside post position and having never gone past a mile.  But that speed gives him a shot to be in the mix.

MY SELECTIONS:

8- GOTNODIME – coming off the big win keeps it rolling here.

9- HORNED PREDATOR – too much big race experience to be dismissed.

11- A MESSENGER – the speed makes a game effort to get there.

LONGSHOT SPECIAL:

5- SARDINA CHEF – hoping the surface change makes the difference.

Good Luck to everyone.