British Royalty, Riptide Rock Rematched at Woodbine

The CA$150,000 Ontario Derby (G3), for 3-year-olds, and the CA$125,000 Ontario Damsel, for 3-year-old fillies, co-headline the 10-race card Oct. 31 at Woodbine.

The Ontario Derby includes a rematch of the 1-2 finishers from the Breeders’ Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf take a look at and the ultimate jewel within the OLG Canadian Triple Crown sequence—British Royalty  and Riptide Rock . This time they race 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta.

Riptide Rock, a Stronach Stables’ homebred son of Point of Entry  , is trained by Canadian Hall of Fame inductee Sid Attard. The gelding has assembled a record of 2-3-1 from nine starts.

His most recent win came in a six-furlong Tapeta race on July 16 at the Toronto oval. After a narrow miss in the Queen’s Plate—Riptide Rock was second, a head back of Safe Conduct —the gelding was third in the turf Toronto Cup, before earning silver in the Breeders’ Stakes.

Riptide Rock launched his profession Oct. 17, 2020, sweeping to the entrance in mid-stretch to take the six-furlong turf sprint by 1 1/2 lengths because the 2-1 selection, in what was his lone 2-year-old look.

The chestnut then headed south for his subsequent 4 begins, three at Oaklawn Park, one at Monmouth Park, earlier than arriving again at Woodbine forward of his July victory over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

“I like every little thing (concerning the horse),” mentioned Attard. “He is an easy horse to coach, all the time does what you ask of him, and all the time tries each time. It is a good horse to be round. He is all the time there every time he races. he’ll all the time attempt to he’ll all the time give his greatest.”

It is precisely what Attard is anticipating from Riptide Rock on Sunday.

“I feel this distance might be good for him.”

D. J. Secure’s Dolder Grand , trained by Mark Casse, is favored in the Ontario Derby at 2-1 morning-line odds. The colt ran fourth against older horses in graded company in his last start.

Seven sophomore fillies, including Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser champ Munnyfor Ro , are set to contest the Ontario Damsel, a 1 1/16-mile main track event. Owned by Raroma Stable, the daughter of Munnings   is 3-2-2 from 11 starts.

Other hopefuls include Gold for Kitten  (4-0-1, from five starts), Alywow Stakes winner Lady War Machine , and multiple graded stakes-placed Oyster Box .