2016 Bold Venture Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes will be run this Saturday, July 23 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Horses three years old and upward will race 6 1/2 furlongs on Woodbine's All Weather Track for a purse of $150,000.

A talented field of six will take to the track in the Bold Venture Stakes - race 8 on Woodbine's Saturday card. Post time is 4:44 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all six entries for this intriguing Grade 3 stakes.

2016 Bold Venture Stakes Race Preview at Woodbine Racetrack

Noholdingback Bear 4-5 - has an impressive four wins and three second place finishes in eight career starts for trainer Michael De Paulo. He arrives on the heels of three straight wins - an Allowance with a terrific 101 Beyer Speed Figure on this track July 1, the minor Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle Downs May 23 and the minor Woodstock Stakes here in July. Also this year he's had a second in the minor Texas Glitter Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a fourth in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes and consecutive respectable runner-up finishes - in the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream January 2 and in the minor $100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint Stakes at Keeneland October 31. He had a maiden score by 5 3/4 lengths at first asking at Woodbine in September. Noholdingback Bear has been competitive every time out and will be looking for a fourth straight victory Saturday. Eurico Rosa Da Silva has the mount on the morning line favorite from post 3.

Calgary Cat 5-2 - 2014 outstanding sprinter in Canada and defending runner-up in this race (he won this event in 2014) has been pretty good the last two years - nine wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 15 starts. He enters off a nice win by 1 1/2 lengths in the minor Achievement Stakes here June 18 after a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 21, an eighth in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes in November and a second in the 2015 Bold Venture Stakes - all on this track. Before that were consecutive impressive minor stakes scores here - the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes last August and the Achievement Stakes in July. He also won the 2014 Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes on this track. Calgary Cat now has 11 wins, four seconds and two third place finishes in 23 career starts and arrives in decent form. He has been a factor here in the past and chases his first graded stakes score in 20 months from the outside gate 6. Luis Contreras will be in the reins of the morning line second choice.

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Puntrooskie 5-1 - finished third in this race last year and also had a second in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes here in 2015 for trainer Donald MacRae. He enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 3 after a second in a Claiming here in May and consecutive fourths including the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes on this track April 9. He has four wins, six seconds and five third place finishes in 28 career starts and will be after his first graded stakes score from gate 4 Saturday. Patrick Husbands has been scheduled to ride this morning line third choice.

Goodoldhockeygame 8-1 - has placed in 12 of 15 career starts for trainer Robert Tiller - five wins, five seconds and two third place finishes - all on this track. He arrives in so-so form - a fourth last time out in the minor Achievement Stakes June 18 followed an OK third in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes May 7, a second place finish in the minor New Providence Stakes April 23, a third place finish in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes in November and a three race win streak - an Allowance score October 31, the minor Overskate Stakes September 19 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score August 26. He has been competitive virtually at times and hopes to maintain that trend Saturday. Rafael Manuel Hernandez gets the call from the rail.< /p>

Choctaw Chuck 10-1 - Kevin Rice trained gelding has 26 career starts with seven wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score July 4 which followed a fifth in the minor Karl Boyes Memorial Stakes June 20 and an Allowance win June 1 - all three at Presque Isle Downs. He has two previous graded stakes starts - both ninth place finishes including the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland in April, 2015 and the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland in October, 2014. Choctaw Chuck arrives in decent form and will be after his first stakes score from post 5 with Taylor Rice aboard.

Western Elegance 20-1 - Liane Davis trained gelding makes his graded stakes debut Saturday having posted four wins, nine seconds and three third place finishes in 24 career starts. He enters on a decent two race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming June 24 and a Claiming June 3 - both at Arlington after consecutive fifths in Allowance Optional Claiming races prior to that. He arrives in career best form and hopes his success translates to stakes company. Santo Sanjur has been tabbed to ride from gate 2.

2016 Bold Venture Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Woodbine's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:44 PM.