The Grade III $250,000 Summer Stakes Presented by TVG offers the winner a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf as part of the Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In challenge series. The Breeders’ Cup will be run at Churchill Downs November 4 and 5, 2011.
A field of eight two-year-olds will take to the turf course at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario, Canada on Saturday for the Summer Stakes.
Leading the field as the even-money favorite is Todd Pletcher’s Finale. The son of 2007 Kentucky Derby contender, Scat Daddy, has won his last two starts in impressive fashion. Last month Finale won the Continental Mile on the turf at Monmouth Park by 10 ½ lengths over Channel Quest. He earned an 82 Equibase speed figure for the effort. Finale earned a speed figure of 98 when he broke his maiden a month earlier at Belmont. Jockey John Velazquez will retake the mount last occupied by Joe Bravo.
Daddy Nose Best, another son of Scat Daddy, is the second choice on the morning line at 7-2. Steve Asmussen trains the colt for owners Cathy and Bob Zollars. In his last start, Daddy Nose Best closed sharply and angled 2-3 wide to win by ½ length over Coach Royal. Prior to that race, Daddy Nose Best was forced to steady in traffic before finding room on the outside to make a run at the leader. He missed by 2 ½ lengths. Jockey Julien Leparoux may have a winner under him if Daddy Nose Best can get a clean trip.
Martimer, a son of Stormy Atlantic, has not done worse than second in his three career starts. The Sid Attard trained runner appears to be improving with each race as he tackles tougher competition while raising his speed figures. Martimer finished second in his first attempt at a mile and first start over Woodbine’s turf course. He’s training well and had a nice work Sunday in which he went five furlongs in a sharp :58.40.
One to watch in this field has to be Burn the Mortgage. Wayne Catalano trains the son of Kitten’s Joy for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Burn the Mortgage won his last race by ½ length in front of a pair that were only heads apart. One of those two, Monastic, went on to win his next start by 3 ½ lengths.
The Kitten’s Joy offspring have proven to be phenomenal turf runners. It may be too early in his career to tell just what potential Burn the Mortgage may have, but at a morning line of 10-1, it’s worth taking a chance on him now.
Completing the field are 30-1 Secret Consultant, 15-1 Excaper, 8-1 Jomelo, and 12-1 Making Amends.
The Summer Stakes is the 9th race on Woodbine’s Saturday card which also includes the Natalma Stakes, a Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In race for fillies. The Summer Stakes has a scheduled post of 5:10 p.m. and can be seen live on TVG.
Photo: Courtesy Breeders’ Cup