Las Vegas, NV – Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes this Saturday, November 30. Horses three years old and upward will take part in this six furlong dash for a purse of $150,000.
The Kennedy Road has attracted a field of eight to go in race 8 on Woodbine’s Saturday card. Post time is 4:32 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all eight entries for this Grade 3 stakes.
Phil’s Dream – has raced exclusively at Woodbine with eight wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts and enters this weekend having won seven of his last eight starts including the minor Ontario Jockey Club Stakes last time out November 2, the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes at 9-1 odds October 13 and his stakes debut- the minor Overskate Stakes September 22. He is absolutely on fire, is the 124 pound highweight and is the one to watch from the far outside post Saturday.
Essence Hit Man – the two-time Canadian sprint champ has 27 career starts all at Woodbine with 12 wins, six seconds and three third place finishes. This year he recorded a win in the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes over Bear Tough Tiger in April, a good second in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes June 2 and a terrific win in the Grade 3 Bold Venture last time out on this track July 17. He won the 2011 Kennedy Road during a streak of four wins in five starts – the 2012 Grade 3 Vigil Stakes included. He has six wins and two seconds in his last 10 starts overall and looks like a threat. Essence Hit Man has been out of racing since July – the only thing that could possibly hold him up.
Go Blue Or Go Home -Reade Baker trained gelding has 10 career starts with five wins, a second and a third place finish – three straight wins before a fourth in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes here August 25. Since then he has recorded an OK third in the Grade 2 Ogden Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland October 4 and a second last time out in the minor Ontario Jockey Club Stakes on this track November 2.
Bear Tough Tiger – had three straight Allowance scores last summer and went on to a third in the 2012 Nearctic Stakes in October. He finished last year’s campaign with a nice win in the 2012 Kennedy Road Stakes in November and then took five months off. In six starts this year Bear Tough Tiger has a second in the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes on this track behind Essence Hit Man April 27 and a disappointing eighth in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup here May 26, a fifth in the Grade 3 Bold Venture July 17. Bear Tough Tiger is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score November 8 and after a fifth in the Grade 1 Nearctic October 13. He hasn’t been great against graded stakes but has won two of his last three Allowance Optional Claiming starts!
Kennedy Road Stakes betting at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com
Bear No Joke – Reade Baker trained gelding had a nice win in the minor Kenora Stakes here August 28 after a pair of sixths in graded stakes action – the Grade 3 Highlander Stakes July 7 and the Grade 2 Connaught Cup in May. Last time out was a seventh in the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes. He was second in this race last year but hasn’t come close to that form in graded stakes company since.
Fatal Bullet – had an Allowance score in his first start of 2013 after six months away and hasn’t been great since – an eighth last time out in the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes October 13 and a fourth in the Grade 3 Highlander Stakes in July. He was eighth in this race last year and enters this year in sketchy form.
Admiral Perry – Shug McGaughey trainee hasn’t races in graded stakes company since a sixth in the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park in May. He has had a couple seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming since including last time out at Keeneland October 24. Admiral Perry has finished off the board in two of his other three starts lately and is not expected to be much of a factor Saturday.
Summer Breezing – Christophe Clement trained colt has won three of his last five starts – finishing third in the other two. His best result is a win in the minor Tiller Stakes in May at Belmont Park and he is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score way back in April. But he hasn’t seen action in seven months.
