Sky Classic 2014 at Woodbine

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes comes our way from Woodbine Racetrack in beautiful Toronto, Ontario this Saturday, August 16. Horses three years old and upward will take to Woodbine's turf track and go 1 1/4 miles for a purse of $200,000.

The Sky Classic has attracted a field of eight older entries to go in race 8 on Woodbine's Saturday card. Post time is 4:27 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all eight entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2014 Sky Classic Race Favorite Entries

Forte Dei Marmi - Roger Attfield reigning Canadian Champion grass horse tries for a third straight Sky Classic Stakes Saturday - he emerged in course record time last year and also won in 2012. He also won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on this track last September during a streak of three straight graded stakes scores but has failed to place in five starts since. He enters off a pair of fourths - the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes here last time out and the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap back in May. Forte Dei Marmi has 10 wins, a second and five third place finishes in 37 career starts and hopes to return to the form that saw him dominate a year ago. Gary Boulanger rides from gate 2.

Aldous Snow - Malcolm Pierce trainee enters on a two race win streak including the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes ahead of Forte Dei Marmi on this track July 6 and an Allowance Optional Claiming in June - that makes two starts in 2014 and two victories. He has failed to place in his other two graded stakes starts but he has placed in five of six starts in the last year. Aldous Snow is in the best form of his career and will go with David Moran in the saddle from the rail.

Sky Classic 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Dynamic Sky - Mark Casse trained colt looked very good early in his career - highlighted by a second in the Grade 1 Dixiana Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October, 2012. He went on to a sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a win in the minor Pasco Stakes and a good second in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes in February 2013. He has been up and down since. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes here July 19 after a decent third behind Aldous Snow and ahead of Forte Dei Marmi in the Grade 3 Singspiel here July 6 and an Allowance score on this track. Before that was a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Keeneland April 10, a good third in the Queen's Plate here last July and a nice win in the minor Plate Trial Stakes also on this track last June. He has been in there with some of the best but will be looking for his first graded stakes score Sunday. Patrick Husbands rides from gate 3.

Sky Classic betting online at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com

River Seven - multiple stakes winning Ontario bred gelding entered the 2014 Donn Handicap on an impressive three race win streak - the minor Harlan's Holiday Stakes over the terrific Csaba at Gulfstream in record setting form December 22, the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs November 16 and the minor Labeeb Stakes at Woodbine in October but finished a disappointing tenth in the Donn in February. He hasn't been a whole lot better since - an OK third last time out in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes followed a fourth in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes here June 22 and a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup on this track May 31. River Seven has hit the board in 11 of 17 career starts but hadn't placed in three starts overall prior to last time out. Emma-Jayne Wilson will guide River Seven from post 4.

Five Iron - Brian Lynch trained colt won two straight stakes races at Woodbine last summer - the Victoria Park Stakes and the Toronto Cup Stakes before a terrific, career defining win in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes September 1 at Woodbine. He has just five starts since - a good third in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby in October, an awful ninth in the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream March 29 after five months away, a terrific win in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park May 3, a somewhat disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes on that same track June 7 and a sixth last time out in the Grade 3 Nijinsky Stakes July 19. He has won four of his last nine starts but has failed to place in his last two overall. Five Iron and will be looking to rediscover his form from his win in the Fort Marcy Stakes in May with Alex Solis aboard from the outside post.

Reporting Star - Pat Parente pupil enters this weekend on a three race win streak - all Allowance races on this track - the last coming July 27. He has placed in all four graded stakes starts in his career including a third in last year's Grade 3 British Columbia Derby, seconds in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes last summer and a third in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes in March, 2013. Reporting Star has four wins, three seconds and six third place finishes in 15 career starts and will depart from post 5 with Justin Stein in the reins.

Money Talker - Sid Attard trained gelding makes his stakes debut Saturday off an Allowance optional Claiming score here July 27, This after failing to place in his previous six starts. Money Talker makes the huge step up in competition in so-so form with Jesse Campbell in the irons. from post 6.

Karibu Gardens - will make his stakes debut Saturday for trainer Josie Carroll after seven career starts yielded three wins and a third place finish - one of those wins coming last time out - an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 20. That was his only win in four starts this year. Luis Contreras gets the call from gate 7 Saturday.


2014 Sky Classic Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Woodbine Racetrack's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:27 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Aldous Snow D. Moran M. Pierce
2-1
2 Forte Dei Marmi (GB) G. Boulanger R. Attfield
3-1
3 Dynamic Sky P. Husbands M. Casse
4-1
4 River Seven E. Wilson N. Gonzalez
8-1
5 Reporting Star J. Stein P. Parente
6-1
6 Money Talker J. Campbell S. Attard
15-1
7 Karibu Gardens L. Contreras J. Carroll
15-1
8 Five Iron A. Solis B. Lynch
8-1

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