Las Vegas, NV – Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes this Sunday, December 15. Horses three years old and upward will take to the track and go 1 3/4 miles for the winner’s share of the $150,000 purse.
A field of eight entries will line up in the Valedictory Stakes – the final race card of the 2013 Woodbine thoroughbred racing season. It is race 4 on Woodbine’s Saturday card with a post time of 2:26 PM. Let’s take a look into the past performances of all eight combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.
Eagle Poise – has had some good career results – a win in the 2011 Valedictory Stakes being the highlight – he also finished second in this race in 2009. In 2012 he was lightly raced but had a good second in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano in between fifth place finished in graded stakes action. He returned to the track August 25 after nearly a year away and finished third in the minor Idle Rich Stakes at Saratoga and was second in the Laurel Turf Cup September 21. Last time out was a second in the Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 17. He has five wins and two seconds in eight career starts on this track and looks like an early favorite to win his second Valedictory in three years.
Tricky Hat – Chilean bred Shug McGaughey trained gelding races in graded stakes company for the first time Sunday but has looked good lately – a third last time out right behind Eagle Poise in the Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 17 followed a two race win streak – the minor Laurel Turf Cup September 21 over Eagle Poise and an Allowance Optional Claiming August 4 at Saratoga. He has two wins and three seconds in seven starts this year and has four wins and four thirds in 11 career starts. Highly regarded Rosie Napravnik will make her Woodbine debut aboard Tricky Hat in his latest battle against Eagle Poise.
Address Unknown – British bred gelding makes his second start in North America Sunday after a distant ninth in his debut here in the minor John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga in July. Back home he had 23 starts with five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. He is 2-for-2 in his career around two turns on synthetic surfaces and will be looking to parlay that success to a good finish in the Valedictory.
Gallant Eagle – Irish bred gelding has been very good this year – 11 starts with three wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. He won two straight Starter Optional Claiming races at Arlington Park this summer and finished a very good second to Wilcox Inn in his only graded stakes start of the year – the Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap in August. Last time out was one of two off-the-board finishes this year – a Starter Allowance at Churchill Downs November 9. Emile Ramsammy gets the call.
Valedictory Stakes betting at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com
Quaesitor – Michael Doyle trained gelding finished third in this race last year in his only graded stakes start so far. He has concentrated on Allowance races since and enters this weekend on a two race win streak – both on this track the last three months. Before the wins were three straight sixth place finishes in Allowance races. Quaesitor is looking as good as he ever has ahead of this year’s Valedictory. Gerry Olguin retains the mount.
Turkish – Raced in stakes company for the first time and finished seventh in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes here September 15 for trainer Reader Barker after a two race win streak on this track – an Allowance July 28 and a MSW June 22. Last time out was a second to Quaesitor in an Allowance here November 17 to follow a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming October 26. He has two wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 14 career starts and will have Emma-Jayne Wilson in the saddle.
Peyton – raced some big races on this track last year with some unflattering results including a thirteenth in the Queen’s Plate, a tenth in the Breeders’ Stakes and a sixth in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby. But Peyton did finish second in this race last year and followed that with an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 1 after 7 1/2 months away. He went on to an OK third in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup, an ugly eighth in the Grade 2 Sky Classic, an Allowance score on this track September 13 and an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Durham Cup here October 6. Last time out was another disappointment – a seventh in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes November 15. Peyton will be looking for his first graded stakes victory Sunday but has failed to place in his last four graded stakes races overall.
Awesome Overture – races for just the ninth time for trainer Paul Attard and has looked OK recently. Last time out was a bit of a hiccup – a sixth in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes here November 15 after a third behind James Street and Alpha Bettor in the Grade 3 Durham Cup, a second in an Allowance behind Peyton as 3-5 favorite and another third in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup. He has been in the money in six of eight career starts and will be looking for his first stakes score Sunday.
