Gary Tanaka’s Eccentric has won four of his last seven starts, but two of those losses have come against horses that he will face in the $150,000 Autumn Stakes (Can-III), to be held Nov. 17 on the Woodbine Polytrack.
A field of eight is entered for the 1 1/16-mile Autumn, which is for 3-year-olds and up.
English-bred Eccentric has been superb since coming to North America in 2006. The 6-year-old gelding has been on the board in seven of eight starts since crossing the pond, winning four times. The son of Most Welcome also loves Woodbine, as all three of his victories in 2007 have come in Toronto.
Out of Caerleon mare Sure Care, Eccentric’s three wins this year have been in stakes competition. He captured the May 27 Connaught Cup Stakes (Can-IIIT) and July 2 King Edward Breeders’ Cup (Can-IIT), and most recently, took the Oct. 27 Chief Bearhart Stakes by a neck. All three were on the grass.
Roger Attfield trains Eccentric, who was bred by A. S. Reid. The 123-pound heavyweight, he draws the rail with regular jockey David Clark aboard.
One of Eccentric’s two defeats this year came Oct. 13 in the Durham Cup (Can-III), also at Woodbine. It was a 1 ¼-length setback to Ontario-bred Leonnatus Anteas, who scored his first graded stakes win, in the process setting the new Polytrack record for nine furlongs in 1:49.55.
A 3-year-old colt by Stormy Atlantic , Leonnatus Anteas has two wins in five starts this year. All but one of the starts came at Woodbine. It was a fourth-place finish in the Sept. 22 Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs. Kevin Attard trains for Knob Hill Stable and the Estate of Steve Stavro. Jono Jones will ride.
True Metropolitan is the other contender that has defeated Eccentric. The 5-year-old gelding by Proud and True did it last November in the Woodbine Slots Cup (Can-III). It was part of a seven-win campaign, earning him champion older horse in Canada.
This year, True Metropolitan has been stellar as well, winning in six of nine starts. His lone graded stakes victory was July 1 in the Dominion Day Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine. Bred in Florida, True Metropolitan’s most recent start was Oct. 14 in the Premier Handicap (Can-III) at Hastings Racecourse. He lost by a neck after stalking the pace. Terry Jordan trains.
One of two other horses with a graded stakes win this year is Gouldings Green, a 6-year-old by Charismatic. The two-length July 29 Seagram’s Cup (Can-III) triumph was his only trip to the winner’s circle in five starts in 2007.
Palladio, who is also trained by Attfield, set the 8 ½ furlong Woodbine Polytrack record May 21 in the Eclipse Stakes (Can-III). Since then the 5-year-old has lost six straight. A champion colt at age three in Canada, Palladio most recently finish sixth in the Chief Bearhart.
Completing the field are Arch Hall, Fuhrever Dancing and Cobotown Ron.
$150,000 Autumn Stakes (Can-III, Race 6, 3:39 p.m.), Three-Year-Olds & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (Polytrack)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Eccentric (GB), 123, David Clark
2. Gouldings Green (KY), 121, Patrick Husbands
3. Arch Hall (ON), 117, Patrick Husbands
4. Fuhrever Dancing (KY), 117, Emile Ramsammy
5. True Metropolitan (FL), 121, James McAleney
6. Leonnatus Anteas (ON), 117, Jono C. Jones
7. Palladio (FL), 121, Richard Anthony Dos Ramos
8. Cobotown Ron (ON), 113, Emma-Jayne Wilson