Las Vegas, NV - Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will be the scene of the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes this Wednesday, July 17. Horses three years old and upward will be featured as they go 6 1/2 furlongs on Woodbine`s All Weathers Track in search of the winner`s share of the $150,000 purse.
A field of six has been confirmed for the Bold Venture - race 3 on Woodbine`s Wednesday schedule. Post time is 7:47 PM. Let`s take a brief look into the credentials of all six combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.
Essence Hit Man - the two-time Canadian sprint champ has 26 career starts all at Woodbine with 11 wins, six seconds and three third place finishes. This year he recorded a win in the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes over Bear Tough Tiger in April and a good second last time out in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes June 2. He won the 2011 Kennedy Road Stakes during a streak of four wins in five starts - the 2012 Grade 3 Vigil Stakes and last year`s version of this race included. He has five wins and two seconds in his last nine starts overall and looks good to repeat in the Bold Venture. He is the 7-5 morning line favorite for the Wednesday's race and rightfully so.
Bear Tough Tiger - had three straight Allowance scores last summer and went on to a third in the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes here in October. He finished his 2012 campaign with a nice win in the Grade 3 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine in November and then took five months off. In two starts this year Bear Tough Tiger has a second in the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes on this track behind Essence Hit Man April 27 and a disappointing eighth last time out in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup here May 26. He has won eight of 14 career starts and is the second choice on the morning line at 5-1 and likely is Essence Hit Man's biggest threat.
Court of the Realm - will make his 2013 debut after just four races in 2012 produced a pair of second place finishes - an Allowance Optional Claiming in September and the minor Mt. Sassafras Stakes in October. The last time we saw Court of the Realm he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Kennedy Road Stakes behind Bear Tough Tiger here in November. He has five wins, three seconds and one third place finishes in 15 career starts - all on this track. Despite not racing this year Court of the Realm is the 9-2 third choice this week.
Consolidator Joe - makes his stakes debut Friday for trainer Ross Armata. He does however have four wins and a pair of thirds in his last six starts - all on this track including an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 12. He has placed in all but two of his 19 career starts but takes a huge leap up in competition Wednesday.
Bold Venture Stakes betting at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com
Paso Doble - Mark Casse trained gelding has raced exclusively at Woodbine in his 37 race career with nine wins, 10 seconds and five third place finishes. His last graded stakes action came in May 2012 - an OK third in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes. He did win the minor New Providence Stakes here May 20 and followed that with a second last time out in an Allowance June 15. Paso Doble has placed in just one of four graded stakes races but has looked OK in the lead-up to the Bold Venture. He is 8-1 on the morning line.
Dimension - British bred gelding makes his first start ever at Woodbine after shipping to North America in October. He has four Allowance starts in North America with a fourth at Keeneland in October being his best result. He had three wins and four seconds in 13 starts at home and will be looking to finally break through on North American soil Friday after a fifth last time out in an Allowance at Indiana Downs May 21 and a ninth at Keeneland in April. He is the longest shot in the field for the Bold Venture at 12-1 odds.
Race 3 on Woodbine Racetrack's Wednesday card with a Post Time of 7:47 PM.