Grade I winner Phil's Dream puts his four-race win streak on the line against seven rivals in the $150,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (Can-III) Nov. 30 on the Woodbine Polytrack.
A seven-time winner from nine starts in 2013, Phil's Dream is a 5-year-old Ontario-bred son of Philanthropist owned by Buttigieg Training Centre and trained by Paul Buttigieg, who also bred him. He is coming off a victory over the Polytrack in the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes Nov. 2 and won the Nearctic Stakes (Can-IT) over the turf by two lengths in a 9-1 upset three weeks earlier at the Toronto-area track.
Phil's Dream, the 124-pound highweight, drew the far outside post in the six-furlong tilt and will be ridden once again by Phil Stein. The dark bay gelding is 3-for-5 at the distance.
Defending Canadian sprint champion Essence Hit Man drew just to the inside of Phil's Dream for A & G Racing and trainer Larry Cappuccitti. The speedy 6-year-old Speightstown gelding gets three pounds from the favorite. He has two wins and a second in just three starts this year, and has not raced since a front-running neck victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Bold Venture Stakes (Can-III) July 17. Gary Boulanger has the call.
Jim and Susan Hill's Go Blue Or Go Home was second in the Ontario Jockey Club last time. The Virginia-bred son of Bluegrass Cat won the off-the-turf Highlander (Can-III) at six furlongs in July for trainer Reade Baker and has five wins from 10 starts in his career.
Baker started Bear Tough Tiger and Bear No Joke in last year's Kennedy Road when they were a neck apart while running first and second, respectively. Bear Tough Tiger was claimed out of his last start Nov. 8 for $62,500 by trainer Sid Attard and will race in this year's renewal for his wife, Janice.
Baker will bring back Bear No Joke and also the 8-year-old Fatal Bullet, a former Horse of the Year in Canada. Both race for Bear Stables.
$150,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (Can-III, Race 8, 4:32 p.m.), 3 & Up, 6 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Bear No Joke (ON), E Wilson, 119, R Baker
2. Summer Breezing (NY), L Contreras, 117, C Clement
3. Bear Tough Tiger (FL), J M Campbell, 117, S C Attard
4. Go Blue Or Go Home (VA), J McAleney, 121, R Baker
5. Admiral Perry (KY), P Husbands, 117, C R McGaughey III
6. Fatal Bullet (FL), E Wilson, 117, R Baker
7. Essence Hit Man (ON), G Boulanger, 121, L Cappuccitti
8. Phil's Dream (ON), J Stein, 124, P M Buttigieg
No Whip: Go Blue Or Go Home
Phil's Dream puts his four-race win streak on the line in the Kennedy Road Stakes.
Michael Burns