ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, TUSCAN DAMSEL

FIRST RACE

SCATTERED STRIKES, a once-promising son of the late/great Scat Daddy, is taking that all-important drop from maiden special to OS/$40K maiden-claiming company, while going from a short turf sprint to a long one. STEEL WOOL was competitive in both of his races at this level, on turf and the Tapeta. MUSKOKA SON awaited room in the stretch before landing on the edges in his first try at this level three weeks ago on the Tapeta.

SECOND RACE

DEPUTY OF EGBERT faded in the final sixteenth after dueling up front in a recent $15K maiden sprint on the grass. He seems poised to put it all together in this much easier $10K Tapeta tilt. GIDEON’S SWORD is shareless on the Tapeta, but is bringing improving form to the table, and should be a factor. LORD EDWARD placed in one of his two dirt races at Fort Erie, both against OS maiden special stock.

THIRD RACE

PRESSURE FRONT closed for third at first asking in a seven-furlong turf tilt, from which the runnerup exited to graduate at the same $25K class with a 51 Beyer. FIESTA IN VEGAS was second when debuting on the Tapeta, but she doesn’t possess much turf breeding. BOATLOADOFNERVE is a halfsister to the speedy Charmaine’s Mia, a stakesplaced debut winner for this barn.

FOURTH RACE

TUSCAN DAMSEL rebounded off a poor showing in the Victorian Queen Stakes to finish a clear second behind the promising Artie’s Princess at this level Oct. 9. Six and a half furlongs should suit her to a T. MUSKOKA DANCER is descending from N1X company to compete with a tag for the first time under Kimura, who’s no longer an apprentice. DAD’S MISSY has developed an effective closing style, which she used to topple $25K maidens under Da Silva three weeks ago.

FIFTH RACE

TOLD IT ALL began slowly when bumped before ending up third after a stalking trip in his encouraging opener. He could mow down all the speed in this shorter OS/$40K maiden dash. RED RETURN should be favored off a neck loss in the aforementioned Sept. 29 contest, after which he worked twice. SILENCE BREAKERS has worked quickly, and goes with blinkers and Lasix. EXECUTIVE SEARCH is a full-brother to the speedy debut winner Black Bess.

SIXTH RACE

ELUSIVE KNIGHT, a son of the popular Ghostzapper, has been working right along for 20% firstout trainer Sid Attard. The Stronach homebred is the first foal from an unraced mare by Street Cry. HAVE A SOUPER DAY placed in all three of his outings, most recently after battling up front in a longer maiden special. ALL INCLUSIVE has worked fast since a fading fifth behind the promising Corsi in his debut. EMBRACE MY UNCLE was along for second after awaiting room in the stretch when debuting against easier.

SEVENTH RACE

EPILOGUE was a lapped-on second in a recent first-level allowance going 7 1/2 furlongs around two turns on the inner turf, which makes him the one to fear most in this all-gray/roan starter handicap. TALE OF VIENNA figures to be a speed threat if he fires one of his better shots for Salles. CURLIN GREY improved significantly last time off the Drexler claim when taking an allowance on the dirt at Fort Erie. GRAY PHANTOM won this event last year, after narrowly losing it in 2017.

MUSKOKA GOLD turned in a powerful maidenbreaking performance in the rich Cup and Saucer Stakes on the grass, after a neck loss in his twoturn debut vs. maidens on the Tapeta. CHAPALU dominated maiden special opposition going a mile on the Keeneland turf second-time out, while earning the highest Beyer in this field (79). TORRES DEL PAINE has run two solid races in stakes in the midAtlantic region since being gelded. Like Chapalu, he’s worked on the Tapeta at Fair Hill in Maryland. NORTHERN THUNDER edged out the top pick to earn his diploma, before a slow-starting fifth in the Cup and Saucer.

NINTH RACE

SILENT STING is moving up off a $40K triumph in his second start off a layoff to try the grass for the first time. The son of top turf sire Silent Name is a half-brother to turf stakes winners Celestine (G1) and Haunted Heroine. CALL ME WALLY rallied wide for second in his first try off a $62.5K claim by McKnight, who has solid stats second-time off the claim, and when going synth/turf. PIVEN comes off a fourth behind City Boy and Reconfigure, who subsequently ran one-two in the G2 Nearctic.

TENTH RACE

TWO TIMING has been knocking on the door at this level on the grass, and note that he was a troubled third in his most recent Tapeta excursion. HIDDEN ARTIFACT has been saddled with a wide draw, but should be a factor in his third start off the sidelines. ZOOMER MUSIC has worked well since being gelded, and could join the fray. LAUDERDALE finished third behind TWO TIMING in each of his last two outings.