Race of the Day: G2 Autumn at Woodbine
Today’s race of the day is the G2 $200,000 Autumn Stakes going 1 1/ 16 miles on the all-weather at Woodbine.
It’s a race for 3 years old and up with a field of 9 entered to go the 1 1/16 mile distance of the Autumn.
Lukes Alley Returns to defend his title in the Autumn
Lukes Alley who won this race last year is back again to defend his title. He’s a 5 YO son of Flower Alley who is trained by Josie Carroll and will be ridden by Luis Contreras for Melynk Racing Stable. Lukes Alley comes into this race with a similar a pattern as he did last having won an $86,000 non-conditioned allowance on September 12 at the 1 1/6 mile distance as the even money favorite. Last year he took an $80K OC in his second start of the year, then won the G3 Durham Cup at 1 1/8 miles. This year he was runner-up in the Durham behind Golden Saber who returns for the Autumn.
Lukes Alley is the 5 to 2 morning line favorite.
Other Contenders
Golden Saber turned in the best race of his career winning the Durham in his last and earned a 101 Beyer under Emma Wilson who’s back up in the Autumn for trainer Malcolm Pierce. Before that he was runner-up in back-to-back G2 turf races and returns to the Polytrack where he’s 2 of 3 lifetime. Golden Saber is listed at 3 to 1.
Karibu Gardens is a 5 YO son of Flower Alley who will run in the colors of the Melnyk stable for trainer Josie Carroll. He was narrowly beaten by Eirigh in an allowance race last time out as the favorite.
Eirigh is a 4 YO son of More Than Ready who notched the first win of the year last time out earning a 101 speed figure. He has 4 wins in 17 lifetime starts but is 0 for 2 in graded stakes company.
The 3 YO son of Tiznow, Royal Son, will be making his first start at Woodbine for trainer Todd Pletcher who sends this guy to Canada off a recent loss as the favorite in an Alw N2x on the turf at Keeneland last month. Earlier in the year he won the Battaglia at Turfway at 9 to 1 and returned to run 5th in the G3 Spiral. Since then he’s been on grass twice including the aforementioned loss. Pletcher is batting .50 when sending runners to Woodbine this year. Justin Stein will ride Royal Son for Winstar Farm.
It seems like a difficult spot for Royal Son to make his second start off a layoff but he should like the switch back to synthetic and is worth a look at a big price.
He’s 15 to 1 in the morning line.
Longshot Pick: #3 Royal Son
Post Time for the Autumn is at 3:26 pm ET.
Here’s a link to the free past performances for the race of the day courtesy of DRF.com.
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