After notching the first stakes win of his career in the Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. II), Utley is scheduled to make his first-ever start in Canada June 22 in the King Edward Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine.
A homebred for Augustin Stable, Utley began his career in England but has raced exclusively in the U.S. since January 2012. The son of Smart Strike had placed in a pair of stakes last year before breaking through as a 6-year-old this season with a victory in the Dixie at 7-1 odds May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.
Trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Utley rallied from seventh to post a one-length victory in the Dixie, a 1 1/16-mile turf race. He will cut back to one mile on the turf in the King Edward while shouldering top weight of 123 pounds.
Awaiting Utley will be multiple graded stakes winner River Seven. Tucci Stables' Johannesburg gelding closed out last season with three straight stakes victories, including a score in the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.
This year Ontario-bred River Seven has been off the board in the Donn Handicap (gr. I) on dirt at Gulfstream Park and the Connaught Cup Stakes (Can-II) May 31 at seven furlongs on turf at Woodbine.
Also entered in Sunday's race is last year's Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) winner Are You Kidding Me as well as Grand Arch, Excaper, Tesseron, Seekingthediamond, and Laugh Track.
$200,000 King Edward Stakes (gr. III, race 8, approximate post time 4:40 p.m. EDT), 3YO&Up, One Mile, Turf
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. River Seven (ON), J. Campbell, 121, N. Gonzalez
2. Grand Arch (KY), D. Moran, 119, B. Lynch
3. Excaper (KY), E. Da Silva, 117, I. Black
4. Are You Kidding Me (KY), J. Stein, 121, R. Attfield
5. Tesseron (KY), L. Contreras, 117, J. Carroll
6. Seekingthediamond (KY), C. Sutherland Kruse, 117, R. Attfield
7. Utley (KY), E. Prado, 123, J. Sheppard
8. Laugh Track (KY), P. Husbands, 117, M. Casse
