The Canadian Triple Crown, sponsored by Ontario Lottery and Gaming, will wrap up this Sunday, October 2 at Woodbine with the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on the turf. The Breeders’, the most challenging of the three races of the Crown, is 132 years old in 2022.
Queen’s Plate winner MOIRA will not be in the Breeders’ as the star filly is being prepared for a Grade 1 event, possibly the E.P Taylor against older mares on Oct. 8.
Prince of Wales Stakes winner DUKE OF LOVE, who waded through the slop to win at Fort Erie, is nominated to the Breeders’ although the Cupid colt was unplaced in his lone turf attempt.
The Breeders’ favourite is likely to be HALL OF DREAMS, who was second in the Plate Trial and second in the Plate for owners Bary Barber, Peter Deutsch, Wachtel Stables and Leonard Schleifer. The lanky son of Lemon Drop Kid, a top turf sire, will be making his grass debut in the Breeders’. Trained by Mark Casse, Hall of Dreams is a half-brother to turf winner Escondera and his second dam Dynamite Cocktail has produced grass stakes winners Hollinger and Rinaldi.
Hall of Dreams, bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, has a record of 1 win and 5 second-place finishes in his 8 races. He had a workout on the training turf at Woodbine on September 18, breezing 5 furlongs in 1:00.20. That prep was faster than his previous turf prep of 1:05 for the same distance.
SIR FOR SURE is seeking redemption in the Breeders’. The stretch-running son of Sligo Bay (Ire) won the Plate Trial and was third in the Plate but at 5-to-2 in the Prince of Wales lost his rider Declan Carroll early in the race. The Breeders’ would be Sir for Sure’s grass debut and his sire and dam’s sire are noted turf sires.
Sam-Son Farms’ DANCIN IN DA’NILE, fifth in the Plate, has run well on the turf from two attempts for trainer Gail Cox. The son of Pioneerof the Nile has had three main track workouts since the Plate. Sam-Son has won the Breeders’ six times.
Trainer Julia Carey sent out LAC MACAZA to be fourth, beaten just half a length in the Toronto Cup at one mile on turf on Sept. 10 and this bay colt is a Breeders’ contender. The son of Giant Gizmo is owned by Discovery Racing and Goldie Stables.
Entries will be drawn for the Breeders’ Stakes on Thursday, Sept. 29.
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