Fourteen 2-year-olds, each in search of a first stakes win, are expected to crowd the starting gate for the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes Oct. 20 over the Woodbine turf.
The Cup and Saucer, for juveniles foaled in Canada, includes 10 maidens. The race is the sixth on Woodbine's Sunday program with a scheduled post time of 3:20 p.m. ET.
Among the maiden winners in the field is a filly, Chiefswood Stable's Ontario homebred Cool Faith, who graduated versus males at first asking Sept. 28 going one mile on grass at odds of 17-1. She defeated 9-10 pick Dylan Ward by one length while ridden out after pressing the favorite into the stretch and taking command in the final furlong. The time was 1:35.78 over firm going.
Cool Faith is by Pulpit out of the Storm Cat mare Ambitious Cat, a $950,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2002 by Chiefswood who went on to become Canada's Sovereign Award winner as outstanding female turf performer in 2005. Winner of the 2006 Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-IIT), Ambitious Cat was also grade I-placed while earning $703,956 in a 20-race career.
Since her impressive debut, Cool Faith has posted one work for trainer Paul Attard, breezing five furlongs Oct. 13 over Woodbine's dirt training track in 1:00 3/5. Omar Moreno, who was aboard the bay filly in her bow, has the return mount. She'll break from post 2 with 119 pounds, three fewer than her male counterparts.
Invading from Maryland is Lulu Le' Mon, who rallied from 15 lengths off the pace to win a Laurel Park maiden special weight test at 1 1/16 miles on grass by five lengths Sept. 28. That was the second start for the Lemon Drop Kid colt, trained by Tony Dutrow for owners Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister. He debuted going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 24, finishing fourth. J. D. Acosta has the call from post 12.
Bear Stables' Man o' Bear scored by 2 1/4 lengths in an off-the-turf maiden event Sept. 22 at 1 1/16 miles over Woodbine's Polytrack. Trained by Reade Baker, it was Man o' Bear's first try around two turns following a pair of thirds to begin his career in stakes sprints on Polytrack, the Vandal and Simcoe. The son of Corinthian starts from post 6 with Emma-Jayne Wilson back aboard.
Baker also entered Bear Stables' Asserting Bear, who finished eighth in the one-mile Summer Stakes (Can-IIT) on turf after pressing the pace at Woodbine Sept. 14. The Bear's Kid colt broke his maiden on grass in his second start by a head at 34-1 at seven furlongs Aug. 24. James McAleney takes the return call from post 13 on Asserting Bear, who races without blinkers for the first time.
Gustav Schickedanz's homebred maiden Go Bro looks to break through in his third start for trainer Mike Keogh following a runner-up finish by 3 1/2 lengths to My Conquestadory in the Summer Stakes. The Proud Citizen offspring was sixth in his debut on Polytrack. Tyler Pizarro rides again from post 5.
Trainer Mark Casse entered a pair of John Oxley-owned maidens, Summer third-place finisher Matador and Majestic Sunset, who drew the far outside post. Matador, a son of Malibu Moon , finished just a head behind Go Bro for second in the Summer after stretching out following a fourth-place finish in the six-furlong Vandal. Majestic Sunset, by Artie Schiller , was third last time out in the maiden event won by Man o' Bear.
Jim and Susan Hill's Mega Length and Breaking Doors, both trained by Brian Lynch, will try turf for the first time.
$250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes (Race 6, 3:20 p.m.), Canadian-Foaled 2YOs, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Mega Length (ON), T Kabel, 122, B A Lynch
2. Cool Faith (ON), O Moreno, 119, P Attard
3. Coltimus Prime (ON), J M Campbell, 122, J J Nixon
4. Breaking Doors (ON), T Kabel, 122, B A Lynch
5. Go Bro (ON), T Pizarro, 122, M Keogh
6. Man o' Bear (ON), E Wilson, 122, R Baker
7. Matador (ON), L Contreras, 122, M E Casse
8. Maritime Pulpit (ON), E Ramsammy, 122, M P De Paulo
9. Leif Erikson (ON), J Stein, 122, M J Doyle
10. Tower of Texas (ON), G Boulanger, 122, R L Attfield
11. Bangkok (ON), D Moran, 122, W P Gracey
12. Lulu Le' Mon (ON), J D Acosta, 122, A W Dutrow
13. Asserting Bear (ON), J McAleney, 122, R Baker
14. Majestic Sunset (ON), P Husbands, 122, M E Casse
Blinkers On: Maritime Pulpit; Blinkers Off: Asserting Bear