Attfield has trio for Breeders’ Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield has won the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, a record nine times and has three horses in Sunday’s edition of the 1 1/2-mile turf route at Woodbine.

Attfield will send out Final Copy, Major Eclipse, and Glencairn in the Breeders’ Stakes, which attracted 10 Canadianbred 3-year-olds. Final Copy should be among the favorites while riding a three-race winning streak on the Woodbine turf, including the Toronto Cup Stakes over 1 1/8 miles in his most recent start July 23. Attfield said Final Copy had a slow start to his racing career but has excelled since being gelded in April.

“He’s a horse that didn’t show me anything at all anytime in his life,” he said. “I had to get him started eventually. I was never happy with his works

in the morning. We took him to Tampa to run, and he ran dismally. We gelded him, and he turned right around. He definitely has a pedigree that he can run that far.”

Major Eclipse and Glencairn are coming off maiden wins and will face stakes company for the first time. Major Eclipse won his maiden by 3 1/2 lengths on turf July 16, while Glencairn won at 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta on Aug. 2.

“Major Eclipse has just broken his maiden, but he did it quite well, and he galloped out very, very strongly, so we thought we’d give him his chance at it,” Attfield said. “Glencairn seems to be turning a corner now in his career, and we’ve always thought that he’d run a mile and a half very well.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Final Copy, by Malibu Moon Last 3 Beyers: 83-81-67

◗ Owner and breeder Chiefswood Stable has finished second in both Canadian Triple Crown races this year, with Tiz a Slam in the Queen’s Plate and Aurora Way in the Prince of Wales Stakes.

Cool Catomine, by Spring At Last Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-53

◗ He’s won his last two starts since adding blinkers, including the $500,000 Prince of Wales on dirt July 25 at Fort Erie. The Breeders’ Stakes will mark his turf debut, but his pedigree suggests that grass will be to his liking.

Channel Maker, by English Channel Last 3 Beyers: 89-91-82

◗ He’ll return to turf following a fourth-place finish behind Holy Helena in the Queen’s Plate on Tapeta on July 2.

◗ Rafael Hernandez retains the mount. He had been in the saddle for each of Final Copy’s three wins on the Woodbine turf this year but sticks with Channel Maker.

Conquest Lemonraid, by Lemon Drop Kid Last 3 Beyers: 81-78-70

◗ He’s recorded back-toback runner-up finishes since getting on the grass, losing to Yorkton in the Charlie Barley Stakes on July 2 and to Final Copy in the Toronto Cup.

Seeking Albert, by Einstein Last 3 Beyers: 78-71-70

◗ He was a private purchase by trainer Mike De Paulo and owner Robert Marzilli following a third-place finish in a onemile turf allowance May 6 at Lone Star Park.

◗ He’s the only horse with a win at the distance, having defeated older horses in an open, first-level allowance on turf here July 14.