Be Vewy Vewy Quiet faces small cast

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Be Vewy Vewy Quiet will put his unbeaten record on the line against just four rivals in Saturday’s $100,000 Colin Stakes, a six-furlong test for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Be Vewy Vewy Quiet made some noise when he won his 5 1/2-furlong debut by 11 1/4 lengths on July 19. The time (1:06.41) was slow, and the initial Beyer Speed Figure was low, but he got a Beyer upgrade to 72 after taking the restricted Clarendon Stakes convincingly on Aug. 5. In the Clarendon, he covered the same distance in 1:03.90, which translated to a 78 Beyer.

“We thought he was one of our better 2-year-olds,” trainer Bob Tiller said. “He’s doing very well. He’s the kind of horse who can be wherever he needs to be in a race if the speed outruns him.”

The Colin heads a 10-race card that also includes an overnight stakes, the $100,000 Belle Mahone for fillies and mares.

KEY CONTENDERS

Be Vewy Vewy Quiet, by Silent Name Beyers: 78-72

◗ Sheena Ryan, who was aboard in both of his races and in many of his works, has the mount.

“He’s very professional,” Ryan said. “He loves to train. From Day 1, he’s been like an older horse. You tell him what you want, and he just does it. He’s push-button, a really nice horse to ride. I’m still waiting for him to get really tested in the afternoon. He’s still learning, and he’s just getting better.”

Tenacity Zip, by City Zip Beyers: 65-60

◗ The front-runner won his debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race June 11 and has been idle since ending up second to the favored Blueblood in the July 8 Victoria Stakes.

Like What I See, by Bold Warrior Last 3 Beyers: 64-58-52

◗ Following a flat sixth-place finish in the five-furlong Victoria, he ran second in a sixfurlong maiden special weight race and then graduated over seven furlongs Aug. 20. Like Tenacity Zip, he’s trained by Nick Gonzalez.

Belle Mahone Stakes

Off back-to-back seconds in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron and Trillium stakes, Ice Festival is the one to beat in the 1 1/16-mile Belle Mahone. The highlight of her career was a victory in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes last November, and trainer Sid Attard appears to have her on target for that 10-furlong stakes again this fall.

Trainer Roger Attfield entered Cced and Midnight Crossing, who dead-heated for third in the Ontario Matron. Uchenna is winless in six starts since capturing last year’s Belle Mahone for trainer Mark Casse, who’s adding blinkers to her equipment. Gamble’s Ghost is also in with a chance.