ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, SAFE TO SAY

FIRST RACE

ARMISTICE DAY worked strongly last weekend. The beautifully-bred $245K yearling purchase is out of G1 winner Harmony Lodge, a debut winner at 2. FLY AWAY BIRDIE galloped out well after closing along the inside for second when favored in his opener. TRICKY MAGICIAN is bred for the grass, but has been working bullets on the Tapeta, and is debuting with blinkers and Lasix.

SECOND RACE

SCARLET FLUTTER checked in three lengths back in fourth after a four-wide trip second-time out on the Tapeta May 27. The daughter of Smart Strike is a full-sister to turf stakes winner Smartyfly and Moon Rainbow, who was stakes-placed on the lawn. NO CHILL and MISS ARTIE DECO are both first-timers by the hot grass sire Artie Schiller, who’s gotten 11% debut winners. The former is the first foal from a half-sister to a turf stakes winner, and the latter is also bred for the grass on the dam’s side.

THIRD RACE

BANGKOK fits into the last clause of this secondlevel optional claimer, which allows for nonwinners of a race in the past year to compete. He finished four lengths in arrears against much tougher in his season opener in the allowance prep for the G3 Singspiel Stakes. EMINENT FORCE came up a neck short after setting all the fractions when coming off the shelf in a shorter route at this level June 3. That race was run in lane 2, and this one goes in lane 1. HOLLYWOOD CRITIC exits a fade job in the G2 Eclipse on the Tapeta, which came on the heels of a victory over $40K opposition on the Churchill sod.

FOURTH RACE

SILENT SONET has worked rapidly since finishing on the edges for the second straight time in a Tapeta sprint stakes May 20. She’s seemingly at her best on the grass, over which she took the onemile La Prevoyante Stakes Sept. 10. She can track the speed on the outside before going in for the kill in this seven-furlong overnight event. JENNIFER LYNNETTE annexed the G3 Royal North traveling six furlongs here last summer. She finished on the edges against some quality company in two turf stakes in April, and her last subpar showing on the Tapeta is probably best ignored. NIIGON’S ECLIPSE set soft fractions en route to an upset score last time in the G2 Nassau. The need-thelead type might have to contend with DUBLIN DIVA up front in this shorter race. Use RED CABERNET in the tri and super.

FIFTH RACE

VIEWFINDER is shedding the blinkers off a flat effort in his first turf outing, in which he tracked a fast pace before fading to fourth. The Gus Schickedanz homebred has since worked five-eighths over the turf training course, and could break through with a less-aggressive approach. GOLD STING came from sixth to end up second in the aforementioned sprint, which followed a one-year layoff. DOWNY BOY finished fourth the only time he sprinted on the grass. Throw out his last dismal race around two turns. Save longtime maiden LET THE BIG HO SS ROLL for the gimmicks.

SIXTH RACE

GIGANTIC BREEZE made most of the running before weakening to third when returning from a six-month absence in the G2 Eclipse. He wound up second after leading the way in this longer G3 route last year, but is versatile in terms of running style, and should make an impact from anywhere he’s placed. ARE YOU KIDDING ME prevailed in the Eclipse and the allowance prep for that mile and a sixteenth stakes. He was a stalking third the only

time he competed over 10 furlongs in this event last year. MELMICH captured this fixture in each of the past two years. The durable veteran is riding a four-race streak of runner-up finishes.

SEVENTH RACE

TESSERON was the overall winner of the inaugural Woodbine Turf Endurance Series in 2017, and the handsome gray should be prominent in the opening leg of this year’s edition. His last race in a minor March 31 stakes at Turf Paradise contained three next-out winners. The win-shy 9yo MONEY TALKER was once a very capable marathoner over this expansive course. Millionaire KAIGUN is the class of the field. The 8yo is stretching out off a fifth in a six-furlong optional claimer for his second start off a $40K claim. SINE METU had a quick pace to chase when taking a recent $32K tilt on the main track.

EIGHTH RACE

SAFE TO SAY merits top billing in this lucrative stakes for Canadian-breds, off a closing third on a speed-favoring track in the fast-paced Selene. The runner-up from that G3 stakes, Dixie Moon, came right back to take the Woodbine Oaks in an upset over Wonder Gadot. After going three-wide on both turns, HOT CASH finished a non-threatening third in the slow-paced Oaks in her first Tapeta excursion. The talented maiden figures to improve with a race over the track. LUNAR GARDEN is another well-bred maiden who could have a say in the outcome. AVIE’S MINESHAFT comes off a flat fourth in the Selene in her second race off the shelf.

NINTH RACE

ONE MORE DRIFT made up some ground over a speed-biased track when fourth after taking the long way home the only time he saw action in a Dec. 3 maiden special. The 3yo is dropping to OS/$40K company after working okay. The debuting CARMENOOTZ has worked quickly, and is a full-brother to the hard-knocking turf stakes winner Mr. Online. KID’S MISCHIEF is descending from the maiden special ranks for his seasonal bow. First-time gelding TWO TIMING is another possibility.

TENTH RACE

AFLEET CONNECTION disappointed as the favorite when second in a recent $25K contest. The 4yo is bred for the grass, and could finally find the mark in her first start on that surface. OCULIST finished just a half-length back after breaking awkwardly at first asking in a similar event May 26. COOKESTOWN CREED is out of a turf winner, and could improve on a fourth in her debut in a $32K sprint on the Tapeta. Consider her for the bottom of the exotics, along with the comebacker TREASURE FINDER.

SCRATCH BOARD

Here are the horses entered today who have been scratched in the last 45 days and have not raced since the scratch. Definitions: Off the turf: Turf race switched to main track. Trainer: Any scratch made by a trainer, including ones for weather, medical issues, a decision not to run in a stakes race, a horse entered back the next racing day, or a conditional entry (i.e., main track only for a turf race). Vet: Injury or illness. Steward: Administrative issues like medication and eligibility. 555 Rexdale Blvd. Rexdale, Ontario M9W 5L2 (416) 675-7223 Main track: One mile, oval. Distance from last turn to finish line: 975 feet. Harness track: Seven furlongs. Turf course: One and one half miles. Distance from last turn to finish line: 1,440 feet.

TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ Win: 14.95% ■ Place, and show: 16.95% ■ Exactors: 20.5% ■ Double: 15% ■ Pick 3 and Superfecta wagering: 26.3% ■ Triactor, Pick 4, Pick 6 wagering: 25%