Executive Search stepping up

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Executive Search moves up to firstlevel allowance company off a victory and a $40,000 claim in the main event on Saturday’s 11-race Woodbine card. The question is, will he be able to avoid a speed duel with the speedy Mason’s Gamble in the seven-furlong event?

It took Executive Search four tries to beat nonwinners-ofthree opposition. He got the job done from a stalking position Oct. 30, after dropping a head decision to Mason’s Gamble three weeks earlier after they fought for the lead all the way.

Trainer Don MacRae, who claimed Executive Search from his last race, has won at a solid 28 percent clip off a claim during the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.61. Gary Boulanger will ride the 4-year-old again.

Mason’s Gamble’s first open allowance start on Oct. 30 was disappointing as he faded to 11th as the favorite after getting softened up in a pace war. His post 9 draw in a 10-horse field on Saturday might lead to an experiment with rating tactics by Patrick Husbands, who was aboard for all three of his triumphs.

Breaking Alone’s last Beyer Speed Figure, an 84, is slightly higher than the 83 just earned by Executive Search. They both exceeded the Beyer par of 82 for this level.

Breaking Alone came from a four-wide stalking position on the turn to finish a close second in that seven-furlong allowance, which was his first synthetic-track race this year. He evolved into a turf specialist last winter at Gulfstream Park before returning here in the summer following a $35,000 claim. His lone poor performance came over yielding ground in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes.

Breaking Alone figures to have another wide trip in a forward position from post 10 on Saturday, with Shaun Bridgmohan riding him for trainer Willy Armata.

Take a Chance has the look of a live longshot in his first race as a gelding. He disappointed in three starts after a frontrunning maiden score July 11, which included a 13th-place finish as the pacesetter in the Queen’s Plate. The son of Munnings has been working well, and leading rider Kazushi Kimura has the mount for trainer Catherine Day Phillips.

Wave Baby wound up third behind a peaking Not So Quiet and a rejuvenated Told It All in the restricted Overskate Stakes on Oct. 9. He faded to 10th after dueling with Mason’s Gamble in the Oct. 30 allowance and has been at his best when stalking tactics are employed. Luis Contreras will break him from the tricky post 1.

Trainer Marty Drexler sends out longshots Downy Boy and Tale of Mineshaft. Both are jumping up off a claim, a 25 percent angle for Drexler since January 2020. Tale of Mineshaft was a visually pleasing maiden winner with the aid of an outside bias on Oct. 24.