November 17, 2023
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
A Colt and a Texan
Integration will try to author his best C.J. Stroud impression this upcoming Saturday at Aqueduct.
Like the Houston Texans’ rookie signal-caller, Integration has already proven worthy of a rise up the ranks despite being light on experience at the professional level. Through two career starts, the 3-year-old remains perfect and is already a graded stakes winner.
On Sept. 9, Integration scored the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T) at Colonial Downs in Virginia. Even money on the opening line, the Kentucky-bred colt will try to add a second graded stakes victory, this time at the Grade 2 level, in the $250,000 Hill Prince for sophomores.
The nine-horse field also features 5-1 Equitize (GB) and 6-1 I’m Very Busy.
Convert the Extra Point
From the big screen to the racetrack, the Patches O’Houlihan name is alive and well.
Stepping in for Rip Torn is a 3-year-old gelding who will look to extend his six-race win streak this Saturday at Woodbine in the $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2).
The impressive streak almost came to an end at the hands of 31-1 longshot Last American Exit in this past September’s Vigil Stakes (G3). The Robert Tiller trainee was able to edge the unexpected foe by a nose to stay perfect in 2023.
Converting the extra point for win number seven won’t be an easy task. Patches O’Houlihan (8-5) faces stiff competition from a deep group that includes 8-1 multiple graded stakes winner War Bomber (IRE), graded stakes winners Dream Shake (6-1) and Ironstone (15-1), and 3-1 contender Ice Chocolat (BRZ).
History on the Line
She Can’t Sing but she can become the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes’ (G3) first ever repeat winner.
The 6-year-old mare with 38 career starts to her name will go for a record-setting win this Saturday at Churchill Downs. It’s been tough sledding for She Can’t Sing since last year’s big win, as she’s gone winless in five 2023 starts.
On the bright side, the skid hasn’t put much of a damper on the Chris Block trainee’s career line, which still sits at a strong at 8-7-7.
At 8-1, She Can’t Sing will try to track down Hidden Connection (5-2), another graded stakes winner (Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes) coming off consecutive second place finishes.
One of These Things…
Rarely will you find a horse with the pedigree of The Chosen Vron in a non-graded stakes, but that will be the case when the 5-year-old gelding takes to Del Mar this Saturday for the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes.
In 18 career starts, the J. Eric Kruljac trainee owns a marvelous 13-1-2 line that includes three graded stakes triumphs. Albeit by a head, The Chosen Vron scored a career-defining win in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on July 29 at Del Mar.
Knowing all this, it’s no surprise to see him as the clear-cut 4-5 favourite on the opening line. That said, he’s coming off a forgettable performance in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) that resulted in a fifth-place finish.
It will be interesting to see if the drop in competition gets him back on track.
Anybody’s Game
Some of the finest trainers on the North American circuit will take to Aqueduct on Sunday for the $120,000 Central Park Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Names like Christophe Clement, Graham Motion, and George Weaver will try to capitalize on what’s expected to be the track’s final turf day of the 2023 season by guiding their young bucks to victory.
In total, a group of 12 up-and-comers are scheduled to traverse the 1-mile test, leaving the door wide open to all kinds of betting opportunities.
A race like this with such a young cast of competitors provides the perfect litmus test for what some might be capable of down the line.
