Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Gale Force preps for Selene Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes winner Gale Force returns to Woodbine on Friday in the featured first race, an open allowance route that serves as the prep for the Grade 3 Selene Stakes.
Gale Force was bet down to 4-1 on debut Oct. 8 in the 1 1/16mile Mazarine. After tracking the leaders, she wore down Let It Ride Mom in the stretch to prevail by a head over that future stakes winner.
Gale Force ended up seventh in a Nov. 16 allowance on turf at Churchill and then wintered in Florida. Her lone outing there was a troubled fifth on the grass in a first-level allowance Jan. 1 at Gulfstream.
Eurico Da Silva will ride Gale Force for trainer Mark Casse, who won a recent allowance at Keeneland with last year’s Grade 1 Natalma winner, Victory to Victory.
Nine races are carded for Friday. The Jackpot Hi 5 carryover is $13,000.
KEY CONTENDERS
Gale Force, by Giant’s Causeway Beyers: 67-54-64
◗ The impeccably bred chestnut is out of Canadian champion Sealy Hill, the lone winner of the Canadian Triple Tiara. She’s a half-sister to Canadian champion female sprinter and Grade 2 winner Hillaby and Grade 3 stakes winner Belle Hill.
Darkwingsoverdubai, by Raven’s Pass Beyers: 80-85-61
◗ She went unbeaten going short on the Tapeta at Golden Gate in her first two starts before finishing a troubled third in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks on the Polytrack on March 25 at Turfway.
◗ She recently changed trainers, going from Jerry Hollendorfer to Roger Attfield, who has modest stats with new acquisitions.
Grizzel, by Kodiac Beyers: 79-64
◗ The Irish-bred was a minor player in stakes in England in 2016. This is her first try around two turns, and she’s coming off a fourth in a one-mile turf stakes at Gulfstream in her second North American start.
Diadura, by Hard Spun Beyers: 37-78-66
◗ After romping in the Arlington-Washington Lassie on Polytrack in September, she finished up the track in the Grade 1 Alcibiades on the dirt at Keeneland.
◗ The comebacker has been working bullets at Fair Hill in Maryland for trainer Mike Stidham, who won the April 16 Star Shoot Stakes here with R Naja.
My Arch Enemy, by Arch Last 3 Beyers: 64-56-53
◗ She faded to eighth in a March 19 starter optionalclaiming race on the Gulfstream grass, from which the fifth- and 10th-place finishers both exited to score.
◗ Gary Boulanger rides her for Casse, a high-percentage combo. He might put her on the point in this paceless event.