WOODBINE Melmich tops Attard trio in Valedictory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine will run its last two stakes of 2018 on Sunday: the $125,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes over 1 1/16 miles for Ontariobred 2-year-old fillies, and the Grade 3, $125,000 Valedictory Stakes over 1 3/4 miles for 3-year-olds and upward. Both will be run on Tapeta.

The Woodbine meet closes on Sunday, Dec. 16.

In the Valedictory, trainer Kevin Attard will send out three of the field’s nine runners. One is Melmich, who has run in the Valedictory four times, winning it in 2015 and finishing second the last two years. Melmich comes into the Valedictory off a win against allowance company Nov. 10.

“Melmich is just a top-class horse,” Attard said.

“For this time of year, I don’t think he’s ever looked better. We’re expecting a good race out of him.”

Pumpkin Rumble, also trained by Attard, comes into the Valedictory off a 6 3/4-length win in the allowance prep over 1 5/8 miles on Nov. 16. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

“This is the way you want a horse coming into a race,” Attard said of Pumpkin Rumble. “His effort in the Valedictory prep was jaw-dropping. You’re just hoping that he’s got another race like that underneath his girth. He’s doing well, too.”

Attard will also send out the 3-year-old filly A. A. Azula’s Arch in the Valedictory. Winner of the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes here on Nov. 3, she will face males for the first time.

Other key contenders for the Valedictory include English Illusion, who finished second to Pumpkin Rumble in the prep, and Vintage Matters, who will try synthetic for the first time and is trained by Michael Dickinson.

Casse has three in Lassie

Trainer Mark Casse entered three in the Ontario Lassie Stakes, including the Chiefswood Stables homebreds Western Curl and Scat’s Rose. Each is coming into the race off a maiden win.

Western Curl earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure in her 3 1/2-length win in a sevenfurlong turf sprint Oct. 20, while Scat’s Rose won a six-furlong sprint on Tapeta on Nov. 17 with a 61 Beyer. Jockey Eurico Da Silva is the listed rider on both horses.

Casse has also entered Hastala vistababy, who won a maiden race on the turf here by 5 1/4 lengths on Sept. 28 for trainer Andrew Smith. The Ontario Lassie is her first start for Casse.

Trainer Catherine Day Phillips has entered two in the Ontario Lassie, Artilena and Notice Me. Artilena made her stakes debut in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes here on Sept. 16, finishing 13th, and enters the Ontario Lassie off a runner-up finish in a six-furlong optionalclaiming sprint here on Oct. 17. Notice Me, meanwhile, finished a close second to Preferred Guest in the South Ocean Stakes for Ontario-sired 2-yearold fillies in her most recent start, Nov. 17.

Lady Azalea also figures to take support at the windows following her runner-up finish to Bold Script in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes here on Nov. 4.

MICHAEL BURNS Melmich, who won an allowance on Nov. 10 in his last start, has finished second in the last two Valedictory Stakes.