Three-year-old sprinter Hot Streak looks to be the early favorite in the 17-horse field set for the King's Stand Stakes (Eng-I) June 17 at Royal Ascot.
An impressive winner over Pearl Secret after making all the pace in the five-furlong Temple Stakes (gr. II) at Haydock in May, Hot Streak takes on that opponent for the third time and meets last year's respective King's Stand winner and runner-up Sole Power and Shea Shea. He has won half of his eight career starts for Kevin Ryan, who trains him for Qatar Racing.
The son of Iffraaj was third to Sole Power in the Palace House Stakes (Eng-III) in his start prior to the Temple Stakes, which he won by a half-length from Pearl Secret.
Also entered is United States-based Ancil, from stable of trainer Joan Scott, who relocated to Woodbine from Keeneland this spring.
The son of City Zip most recently was eighth at Churchill Downs in the May 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (gr. IIIT) for owners Scott Farmer and Kathy Thompson. He was flown from Indianapolis June 12 to prepare for the five-furlong King's Stand.
Ancil is a five-time winner on Tapeta and turf in the U.S., most notably when breaking the Tampa Bay Down turf course record with a blistering performance in the Turf Dash Stakes March 1, when he clocked :54.88 in the race at the King's Stand distance. Joel Rosario was initially booked to ride Ancil but was having visa issues, according to a tweet from Adrian Beaumont of the International Racing Bureau. James Doyle will ride.
Bridgetown won the 2011 Turf Dash Stakes for trainer Todd Pletcher before finishing 12th in that year's King's Stand Stakes.
King Stands Stakes (Eng-I), 3YO & Up, five furlongs, turf
No. PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight Trainer
1. 13. Ahtoug, W. Buick, 130, C. Appleby
2. 1. Ancil, J. Doyle, 130, Joan Scott
3. 17. Es Que Love, A. Kirby, 130, C. G. Cox
4. 3. Jack Dexter, G. Lee, 130, J. S. Goldie
5. 10. Medicean Man, H. Bentley, 130, J. Gask
6. 7. Pearl Secret, O. Peslier, 130, T. D. Barron
7. 16. Rex Imperator, F. Dettori, 130, W. J. Haggas
8. 2. Shea Shea, C. Soumillon, 130, M. de Kock
9. 8. Sole Power, R. Hughes, 130, E. Lynam
10. 4. Stepper Point, M. Dwyer, 130, W. R. Muir
11. 15. Steps, K. Fallon, 130, R. Varian
12. 12. Take Cover, D. Probert, 130, D. C. Griffiths
13. 9. Caledonia Lady, L. Jones, 127, J. Hughes
14. 6. Green Door, J. Crowley, 124, O. Stevens
15. 14. Guerre, R. Moore, 124, A. O'Brien
16. 11. Hot Streak, J. Spencer, 124, K. A. Ryan
17. 5. Justice Day, P. Hanagan, 124, D. R. C. Ellsworth
