G2 The Dancing North Cup offers $600,000 at Woodbine

Ontario-CAN (ON)    Sunday, July 20, 2014 — 2:30PM  EST | Race ID : 1234647
    
THE  DANCING  NORTH  CUP
    
Grade II / Group 2 – Purse : $600,000   3 Year Olds and Older    

12 Furlongs | ~2400 Meters | One Mile and a Half    Firm Turf

Woodbine Race Course in Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada plays host Sunday to the Grade 2  The Dancing North Cup, to be run at one and a half miles on what promises to be a firm turf oval.  A well-matched,  international field of seven older males will vie for the winner’s share of the $600,000 purse.  The winning trophy presentations and celebrations will immediately follow the race in the winner’s circle.   Let’s take a closer look at the runners in this event.      

1
RED  SUNSET                                           ENG         reacher     6/1

Four year old bay Makfi colt seems to have found conditions to his liking in these marathon type affairs.  He just missed last out in the 11 furlong,  Majestic Water listed stakes,  posting a 107 SP#.  Prior was a  runaway,  wire to wire score in the Symbol Khan listed stakes at 13 panels,  earning a 102 SP#.  One before that was an easy win at this event’s distance in a restricted allowance race,  scoring a 106 SP#.  Trainer reacher tries this one in graded stakes company for the first time.  He should be an early pace factor,  can surprise if he runs to current good form.  

2
MAN  OF  MYSTERY                       KY         mtk3man2     9/2

Owner mtk3man2 sends out this 5 year old brown son of Smart Strike after an easy romp in a restricted allowance race at 10 furlongs in his 2014 debut,  earning a 95 SP#.  Tuneup race should have him ready for a big effort here.  He was very competitive with Grade 1 company last year,  running 2nd in the Grade 1 Sword Swallower and the Grade1 St Cloud Grand Prix,  and also was 2nd in the Grade 2 Clubhouse,  all at the same  distance as running here with 108, 108, and 115 SP#’s.  Speedball likes to be on the front end as do others in here;  could make for a contested early pace setting up a late runner’s charge.  The one to catch.

3
SANDMAN  RUNNING                GER         skunkbred3     5/2

Light grey 5 year old son of Monsun from the Grade 1 winning,  half million dollar earning sim-mare El Skunkberto Slew, is the sole Grade 1 winner / million dollar earner in the field.  Last out he was a fair 4th in the Group 1 St Cloud Grand Prix at this distance, with a 106 SP#.  Prior was an easy score in a restricted allowance at 10 panels with a 103 SP#.  One before that was a poor showing in the Group 1 Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic when finishing 11th,  after an OK 4th in the Group 1 Mr Met Cap.  Stretch runner from the skunkbred3 stable looks to duplicate his Grade 1 winning form from 2013’s Coalminer Cup at this trip.  Will be coming late in the lane, but will the early pacesetters have tired themselves out ?

4
KING  AH  TABAI                          JPN         musse         7/1

King Kamehameha four year old brown colt out of the Grade 2 winning,  half million dollar earning he-mare Sadler Rock,  exits a bang-up 2nd in the Group 1 St Cloud Grand Prix at this trip,  besting Sandman Running while appearing in his graded /group stakes debut.  It was also his first race outside Germany.  He has hit the board in all thirteen of  his marathon type races.  Recent SP#’s compare favorably to the rest of the field,  musse trainee will be a pace factor here.  Can surprise with best effort. 

5
AFFLICT                                                  IRE         toreup     6/1

Five year old brown son of Galileo out of the sim-mare Vex tries graded stakes company again off an easy,   front running win at this trip in a restricted allowance over a yielding surface.  Prior was a so-so 3rd in a 9 furlong restricted allowance with a 103 SP# on the dirt.  Did not fare well in two listed stakes before that.  Best efforts seem to be stalking trips from off the pace,  that could be an effective strategy here for trainer toreup if he can catch some tiring front runners and hold off the closers.  That strategy will be difficult for this one to accomplish against some tough customers. 

6
ROVERS  WIN  RYRY                  ENG         ryry          4/1

Oasis Dream bay four year old colt just missed last out in the Colorado Force listed stakes,  earning a 108 SP# at 11 furlongs.  Prior was a late running score in the 13 furlong Like A Porcupine listed stakes with a 103 SP#.  He was also a fair 3rd in the 11 furlong Paycheck listed stakes with a 109 SP#, before cruising to an easy win in a restricted allowance at 11.5 panels.  Ran poorly in both other graded stakes tries.  Distance should not be a concern;  versatile runner may need effective jockey ride to compete with the better ones here for owner ryry.

7
SEE  BARB DO  IT                            JPN         jackstable     4/1

Trainer jackstable sends out this 4 year old light grey son of Conduit out of the sim-mare Julia Dancer off a late closing win in the Orange Swirl listed stakes at 11.5 furlongs, earning a very nice 112 SP#.  He was an uninspired 8th one prior in the Grade 3 Golden Bridge,  after a close 3rd  in the Grade 3  C E O  Classic at today’s trip with a 109 SP#.  One before that was a late closing 2nd in the Grade 3 Pan Americana at 12 panels with a 106 SP#.  Stretch runner will be flying late down the lane,  will need some help softening up the front runners.  Can take all on best.

SELECTIONS:

MAN  OF  MYSTERY
SEE  BARB  DO  IT
KING AH TABAI