Silent Poet eyes King Edward

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Who’s the best sprinter at Woodbine? For the first time in four years, one could argue that it’s not perennial champion Pink Lloyd but the turf expert Silent Poet, who is now 2 for 2 at the meet after capturing Saturday’s Grade 2 Connaught Cup.

A front-runner trained by Nick Gonzalez, Silent Poet beat a quality field that included Skywire and Avie’s Flatter in his June 11 season opener in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance on the inner course. Silent Poet prevailed over a soft main course in the seven-furlong Connaught Cup, during which he put away Admiralty Pier late under Justin Stein, who was subbing for the injured Gary Boulanger.

Silent Poet set the sevenfurlong main-course record when taking last year’s Grade 2 Play the King, a stakes that will not be run at this pandemicshortened meet. Gonzalez said he’s aiming for the Grade 2 King Edward here Aug. 15 as the next start for the Stronach Stable runner. The King Edward serves as the new local prep for the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19.

“The timing is perfect for the King Eddie,” Gonzalez said. “It’s five weeks, and it’s a mile on his favorite course. I can breeze him a couple times. I’ll take it one race at a time. I couldn’t be happier with the way he came out of his last race. He’s bouncing.”

Gonzalez said the gelded son of leading Ontario sire Silent Name might be better than ever this year.

“He’s been lightly raced,” Gonzalez explained. “In the past, he had a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Just little things, but that’s in his past now. He’s 5 years old now and he’s matured. He just loves his job.”

Mnemba Island back to grass

Mnemba Island, an impressive come-from-behind winner last Saturday, is a rare Ontario-sired 3-year-old bred in Kentucky, and is therefore ineligible for the Canadian Triple Crown. It’s too bad because he earned a solid 80 Beyer Speed Figure in that Ontario-sired allowance route on the Tapeta.

Trainer Julia Carey was unsure when Mnemba Island will run back, but she ruled out the Grade 3 Marine here July 25 as being too close. By Conquest Curlinate and out of a With Approval mare, the striking gray looks like Canadian Triple Crown winner With Approval. Carey said she would like to try him again on the grass, over which he finished eighth in an allowance Feb. 9 at Gulfstream.

“It was a tough spot,” Carey recalled. “He got a little shook up. He was a little agitated in the paddock, in the post parade, and going into the gate.”

◗ Friday’s nominal feature, for Ontario-sired allowance types and $40,000 claimers, includes stakes winner My Silencer, who’s returning from a one-year layoff.