Closing out Woodbine’s 2018 Pattison Canadian International Stakes day card is the Gr.1 EP Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares three years old and up. Going 1 1/4 miles on the renowned EP Taylor turf course is a field of 9 including 5-2 morning line favorite Santa Monica (GB) and 7-2 second favorite Elysea’s World (IRE), 2 of 3 fillies going out for trainer Chad Brown.

By Sean Alvarez

  TOP PICK #2 SANTA MONICA (Mastercraftsman (IRE) – Zacchera (GB), by Zamindar)

Running Style: Mid-Pack
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Owner: Mrs. John Magnier, Madaket Stables LLC, and Deron Pearson

This mare was shipped into Woodbine two starts ago and ran her career best at today’s distance in the Dance Smartly. The race was not falling apart on the front end, but this mare had enough turn of foot and late kick to run down the front runners on the stretch. She looks like the horse to beat today.

  TOO HARD TO TOSS OUT #8 ELYSEA’S WORLD (IRE) (Champs Elysees (GB) – Ideal World (IRE), by Singspiel (IRE))

Running Style: Mid-Pack
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Joe Bravo
Owner: Sheep Pond Partners and All Pro Racing LLC

Elysea’s World comes into today’s race off back to back wins at Monmouth. She will be stretching out an extra furlong, but has shown the heart to win tough photos in her career. This mare has one of the strongest late kicks in this field and if Joe Bravo can get this horse into contention midway through the race, they will all have to work to hold her off down the lane.

  #3 POLLARA (IRE) (Camelot (GB) – Brooklyn’s Storm, by Storm Cat)

Running Style: Mid-Pack
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Owner: Allen Stable and Peter M. Brant

Pollara is making her first start on this side of the Atlantic and only her fourth career run. The distance should not be an issue since her last win came in a Grade Three going an extra quarter of a mile. She showed the ability and heart to split horses in her last start when asked, so Irad Ortiz will have options to save ground instead of swinging wide around the turn if he chooses to do so.

  TOSS!! #9 PROCTOR’S LEDGE (Ghostzapper – Archstone, by Arch)

Running Style: Mid-Pack
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: John Velazquez
Owner: Patricia Moseley

This filly has done her best running shorter than at today’s distance. I expect her to run mid-pack as she isn’t fast enough to keep up with the front runners. There are tough horses to catch in front of her and she does not have the closing kick to hold off the classy horses that will be charging late.

  #7 STARSHIP JUBILEE (Indy Wind – Perfectly Wild, by Forest Wildcat)

Running Style: Stalker
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Jockey: Luis Contreras
Owner: Soli Mehta and Partner

Starship Jubilee ran her career best race last time out in the Canadian when the race fell apart up front, allowing her to run away from the field. While the race was visually impressive, this is not the norm for this mare. I believe that she will bounce off of that effort and will be backed by local supporters to a price that will be way too short to take.

  LONGSHOT PLAY #6 SUMMER LUCK (Lookin At Lucky – Seasonal, by Deputy Minister)

Running Style: Stalker/Mid-Pack
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
Owner: Gary Barber

While Summer Luck’s races don’t jump off the past performances, if you isolate her two longer route races on the turf, she ran two solid second place efforts. These races were over a year ago, but after four straight dirt tries, she won a nice routing turf race last time out. This filly has been shipped in and has been working out at Woodbine since September. She should be quite comfortable in her surroundings today.

 

Additional Pattison International Card Handicapping Guides:
Gr.3 Ontario Derby
Gr.2 Nearctic Stakes
Gr.1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes
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