Green Mask, second in his only previous visit to the Woodbine turf, has a class and recency advantage over his field and is the one to beat in the July 2 Highlander Stakes (G2T) going six furlongs.
The $250,000 Highlander is for older turf sprinters, and for the first time is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race for an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar.
Green Mask has been first or second in his last five trips to the post, dating back to last December, when he won the Bonapaw Stakes. On May 5 at Churchill Downs, he kicked away to take the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G3T) and finished willingly to be second last out in the Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old Mizzen Mast gelding has the speed to place himself just off the pace, or can run on from behind.
Calgary Cat is proven at Woodbine, but has done much of his running over the synthetic main surface. He ran well last out on the turf, finishing a close third in the Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T) after rallying wide. Two back, he failed to fire over good turf at Belmont in the Elusive Quality Stakes.
Calgary Cat ended 2016 with a good effort in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), rallying from far back to check in fourth. He had won the Nearctic Stakes (G2T) in his previous start at Woodbine. Calgary Cat, who does his best running from behind, would benefit from a strong early pace.
Noholdingback Bear makes his first visit to Woodbine's grass, although he has won over the synthetic in the Woodstock Stakes last season. In fact, he has not run on turf since February 2016 when he finished second in the Texas Glitter Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He won the Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) last summer, but has lacked his previous early speed in his last three efforts, including a seventh-place effort in the True North Stakes (G2) last out, hence the surface switch.
Commend will be trying graded company for the first time. He won a six-furlong allowance heat at Belmont last out and checked in second last summer in the Quick Call Stakes in his lone black-type appearance. Hootenanny won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) in 2014 but has not backed up that effort, including a fourth in last year's Highlander. He is lightly raced and came off a seven-month freshening to run fourth in the Hanshin Cup Stakes (G3) in May on the synthetic at Arlington International Race Course.
Commute was pipped on the line by Tower of Texas in the Connaught last out after clearing the lead in the stretch. He is in solid form and will probably be a pace factor from the rail. Sweet Grass Creek has hit the board against Ontario-bred company in his last two so he will face a class test here. Don Camillo faced this type of company in last summer's Sky Classic Stakes (G2T) and failed to threaten.
Woodbine, Sunday, July 02, 2017, Race 4Entries: Highlander S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Commute (KY) Patrick Husbands 117 Mark E. Casse 8/1 2 2Noholdingback Bear (KY) Eurico Rosa Da Silva 121 Michael P. De Paulo 4/1 3 3Don Camillo (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 117 Norman McKnight 20/1 4 4Green Mask (KY) Javier Castellano 121 Brad H. Cox 2/1 5 5Sweet Grass Creek (ON) Jesse M. Campbell 117 Michael Keogh 20/1 6 6Calgary Cat (ON) Luis Contreras 123 Kevin Attard 5/2 7 7Commend (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 117 William I. Mott 6/1 8 8Hootenanny (KY) Julio A. Garcia 117 Wesley A. Ward 8/1
