Musical Ride puts win streak to test

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There’s no stakes Sunday at Woodbine, and the featured second-level allowance for fillies and mares kicks off the appealing 10-race card at 12:55 p.m.

The fast-improving Musical Ride is among a field of seven in the headliner, which is scheduled for 1 1/16 miles in lane 4 on the main turf.

Musical Ride finished second and third in her first two appearances at the meet, both hybrid Tapeta sprints for Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens. When switching to the inner turf on Aug. 21, she overcame a wide trip to graduate over 7 1/2 furlongs with a $40,000 tag.

Musical Ride took her game to another level in a Sept. 18 allowance traveling seven furlongs on the main turf course. Sent off at 76-1 from the outside post 13, she rallied wide from nearly 10 lengths back to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over Pledge, earning a big 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Liz Elder attributed Musical Ride’s rise to prominence to maturity.

“It took her a while to figure things out and get her confidence,” Elder said.

Sahin Civaci will ride the Kentucky-bred 3-yearold Musical Ride again for Cudney Stables.

Perseverancia, who was nominated to last Sunday’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor, should be among the favorites under Rafael Hernandez.

Perseverancia has run three solid races since joining the barn of trainer Darwin Banach after she wintered in Florida. She mounted an eyecatching wide rally from sixth to win her maiden by five lengths going 1 1/16 miles off a two-month break on July 25.

Four weeks later, Perseverancia finished fourth behind the talented trio of Our Flash Drive, Seasons, and Speightstown Shirl in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen. She switched to the inner turf most recently Sept. 26 and overcame a sleepy pace to win, closing strongly on the outside. She received a career-best 80 Beyer in the 1 1/16-mile allowance.

Chart has been in a tailspin since capturing last year’s onemile Ontario Colleen. When returning from a six-month layoff on Sept. 6, she wound up fourth behind the unbeaten Canadian champion 2-year-old of 2020, Lady Speightspeare.

Trained by Mark Casse, Chart will be ridden by Justin Stein, who was aboard for her Ontario Colleen victory.

Casse also entered Broadway Lady, who’s coming off back-to-back second-place finishes on different turf courses at this level under Shaun Bridgmohan.

Peace Seeker met males going 1 1/4 miles last out in a second-level allowance and did well to finish third over good ground. She finished third in last year’s Grade 3 Maple Leaf on the Tapeta.

Rounding out the field are Marais and Nantucket Red, who are both competing with a $60,000 tag.