TRIAL BY FIRE

KEEP ON TRUCKIN TRIES TURF IN GRADE 1 SUMMER STAKES,

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Keep On Truckin has done little wrong in his two races, winning them convincingly on the Tapeta. He takes his talents to the turf Sunday in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine, when he’ll line up against a promising group of 2-year-olds in the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier for the Juvenile Turf.

Keep On Truckin crushed Ontario-sired maidens by 11 3/4 lengths when debuting July 7 under Eurico Da Silva. He was also a front-running tour-deforce Aug. 3 in the Clarendon Stakes, scoring by 7 3/4 lengths under Emma-Jayne Wilson, who was duly impressed by the Catherine Day Philips-trained gelding.

“This horse is just a beast,” Wilson said. “He knows what he’s doing. When the doors opened, he was all business. Catherine’s instructions were to let him get into his own rhythm. If the other guys want to go, let them go. He outbroke them, so I had the jump on them. The inside horse gave us a little pressure, but he’s run before and has done everything like he’s done it 100 times. I just let him out a notch, and let him get into his rhythm. He was only just getting into gear.”

Da Silva inherits the mount on Keep On Truckin from Wilson, who was injured on a Day Philips-trained runner last Sunday.

Sunday’s co-feature is the Grade 1 Natalma. The 11-race card also has two new $100,000 stakes at five-eighths for 2-yearolds on the inner turf, the Ontario Racing and the Woodbines Cares for fillies.

KEY CONTENDERS

Keep On Truckin, by Society’s Chairman Beyers: 92-80

◗ His sire produced the turf stakes winners Caren and Code Warrior, and his dam is a halfsister to a Grade 3 winner on grass.

Decorated Invader, by Declaration of War Beyers: 75-72

◗ After rallying for second at Saratoga in his debut, he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden special there on the grass by 3 1/4 lengths.

Mystic Lancelot, by Into Mischief Beyer: 83

◗ The $450,000 juvenile purchase graduated on debut in a maiden special turf sprint at Saratoga from which the runnerup exited to land a maiden special at Kentucky Downs. Please call me back, by Hard Spun Beyers: 71-69

◗ After beating the highly regarded Tap It to Win in his debut July 21, he closed for second behind the unbeaten Mr. Hustle in the 6 1/2-furlong Soaring Free Stakes over yielding ground Aug. 18.

“He ran a creditable race,” trainer Roger Attfield said about the Soaring Free. “I think he’ll be better going further.”

Cucina, by Northern Afleet Last 3 Beyers: 65-63-75

◗ He rallied for third in the Soaring Free in his first grass outing.

“I was happy with the way he ran,” jockey Gary Boulanger said. “I think going a mile is going to help him.”

MICHAEL BURNS