2017 Autumn Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the G2 Autumn Stakes on Sunday, November 12. Horses three years old and upward will chase the winner's share of the $175,000 purse when they line up on Woodbine's All Weather Track and race 1 1/16 miles.

A short field of five will give it a go in the Autumn Stakes - race 8 on Woodbine's Sunday schedule. Post time is 4:38 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all five entries for this G2 stakes.

2017 Autumn Stakes Entries at Woodbine Racetrack

Melmich 3-5

Versatile Kevin Attard trained gelding has placed in 26 of 32 career starts - 16 wins, seven seconds and three third-place finishes. He enters on a terrific five-race win streak - the G3 Durham Cup Stakes September 30, the minor OLG/OR Elgin Stakes August 30, the G3 Seagram Cup by an impressive 7 1/2 lengths July 1, the G3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 (for the second year in a row) and an Allowance Optional Claiming May 31 - all on this track. Before that was six months away and an OK second in the G3 Valedictory Stakes here in December - a race that he won in 2015 as well. He has been untouchable the last six months and hopes to keep an impressive run going Sunday from post 5. Eurico Rosa Da Silva will be in the saddle of the obvious morning line favorite.

Gigantic Breeze 2-1

Alexander McPherson trained gelding has 16 career starts with five wins, a second and a third-place finish. He enters off an impressive four-length win in the listed Presque Isle Mile Stakes September 17 which followed a close third behind Melmich in the G3 Seagram Cup Stakes here August 13 and a very respectable runner-up finish behind Melmich in the G3 Dominion Day Stakes on this track July 1. Before that were three straight wins - an Allowance Optional Claiming June 10, an Allowance May 13 and an Optional Claiming April 22 - all at Woodbine. Gigantic Breeze has placed in six straight races ahead of this weekend (four wins over that span) - good form and hopes for a first graded stakes score from gate 4. Gary Boulanger gets the call on the second betting choice.

Dragon Bay 6-1

Has placed in 10 of 21 career starts for trainer Stuart Simon - five wins, two seconds and three third place finishes. He enters having failed to place in his last three starts overall - a fifth last time out in an Allowance at Keeneland October 26 followed a twelfth in the G1 Woodbine Mile September 16 and a fourth in the G2 Sky Classic Stakes on this track August 20. Before that was a terrific win in the G2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine July 29, a disappointing sixth in the G2 King Edward Stakes here July 2 and a win in the G2 Eclipse Stakes on this track May 20. Other good results include a fifth in an Allowance at Keeneland April 19, a win in the minor English Channel Stakes at Belmont Park in October and an OK second in the G3 Ontario Derby on this track last September. Dragon Bay has been a tad tough to figure out, mixing in good wins with underwhelming results. He hopes to snap an unflattering three-race slide from post 3 Sunday with Rafael Manuel Hernandez guiding him.

Western Reserve 12-1

Finished fourth in this race in 2015 and has been up-and -down since. He enters off a fifth in the listed Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs September 6, a nice in in the listed Warrior Veterans Stakes at Indiana Grand July 15 and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs in June. He had two graded stakes starts to start his year - a seventh in the G1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14 followed a second in the G3 Colonel ER Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds in January. He now has five wins, five seconds and five third-place finishes in 21 career starts. Western Reserve tries for his first graded stakes score in so-so form and will leave from the rail with Luis Contreras aboard.

Tale of the Nile 15-1

Mark Casse trained gelding has five wins, three seconds and a third-place finish in his 18 career starts. Last time out was a second in an Allowance October 5 after a fifth in the listed Presque Isle Downs Mile September 17 and an Allowance score August 18 (all at Presque Isle Downs). Before that was a fourth in his only graded stakes action to date - the G3 Vigil Stakes on this track July 16 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Presque Isle Downs in June. Tale of the Nile has been a tad inconsistent in his career but has a chance to record his first graded stakes score Sunday. Patrick Husbands has been tabbed to ride from gate 2.

2017 Autumn Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Woodbine's Sunday card with a Post Time of 4:38 PM

Entry	Horse	ML Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Western Reserve	12-1	Luis Contreras	J. Sweezey
2	Tale of the Nile	15-1	Patrick Husbands	Mark Casse
3	Dragon Bay	6-1	Rafael Hernandez	Stuart Simon
4	Gigantic Breeze	2-1	Gary Boulanger	Alexander McPherson
5	Melmich	3-5	Eurico Da Silva	Kevin Attard

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