‘Y’ Not Yoshida in the Woodward?

[Wandering Eyes]

In the last decade alone, the GI Woodward S. has been won by the likes of Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro), Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Quality Road (Elusive Quality), Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) and Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}). To be sure, this year’s renewal features anything nearly of that class, but a full field will load the gate for the nine-furlong heat that will be a good test for handicappers.

A solid case can be built for many of Saturday’s entrants, and though he has obvious questions to answer, ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) certainly is not without his chances. A paternal grandson of dual Classic winner Sunday Silence and out of the 2011 GI Ballerina S. romper Hilda’s Passion (Canadian Frontier), Yoshida cost ¥94 million (about $765,000) as a yearling and won the valuable GIII Hill Prince S. to close out his sophomore season. Relishing the very easy underfoot conditions in the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic in May, he defeated fellow ‘Rising Star’ Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) and was a highly creditable fifth in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot in June. He beat just one home when favored in this track’s GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 11, but he’s trained well over the main track at Oklahoma and connections’ Good Samaritan (Harlan’s Holiday) made a successful transition to dirt in the GII Jim Dandy S. a year ago.

Gunnevera (Dialed In) has made the most of two previous trips to upstate New York, having upset the 2016 GII Saratoga Special S. at 9-1 ahead of a very strong runner-up effort behind champion West Coast (Flatter) in last year’s GI Travers S. Third in the GI Pegasus World Cup in January, the track was against him when eighth in the G1 Dubai World Cup in March and he prepped for this with a facile allowance tally at Gulfstream Aug. 10. He used a similar race as a springboard to his Travers effort last summer.

Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) pulled a 7-1 surprise in last year’s GI Clark H. at Churchill, but was fifth in the Pegasus and was upset by a head in the Michael Schaefer Memorial S. at Indiana Grand July 14.

Discreet Lover (Repent) will get many votes for 2018 blue-collar horse of the year, as the 5-year-old has picked up nice checks when fourth in the GI Met Mile and third in the GII Suburban S. and in the GI Whitney S. A minor award is probably his ceiling here as well, but he’ll be finishing and can grab a share.

 

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