Pizza Man’ Hopes to Keep Delivering

Winner of his last five starts, Midwest Thoroughbreds homebred The Pizza Man (English Channel) hopes to keep that streak alive while attempting the highest level for the first time today in Woodbine’s GI Northern Dancer Turf S. Trained by Roger Brueggemann, the hard-knocking gelding spent six months in the Tom Amoss barn last year and captured his first start back under Brueggemann’s care in Hawthorne’s Carey Memorial H. Oct. 12. Benched until June 21, the 5-year-old returned a winner in Arlington’s Black Tie Affair H., scored next out there in the 1 1/2-mile GIII Stars and Stripes S. July 12 and captured that venue’s American St. Leger S. last time Aug. 16. The bay fired a best-of-36 five panels over the Arlington synthetic in 1:00 last time Sept. 7. 

Melnyk Racing Stable’s Karibu Gardens (Flower Alley) also enters this test on a win streak. An optional claimer winner on the local synthetic July 20, the Josie Carroll pupil scored a narrow victory over Reporting Star (Circular Quay) in his black-type debut in the GII Sky Classic going 1 1/4 miles over this course last time Aug. 16. The rapidly improving and lightly raced colt should benefit from a similar set up as his last win as he attempts this distance for the first time. 

With champion Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) skipping his usual trip to the GI Woodbine Mile after colic surgery forced some changes in his schedule, trainer Charlie Lopresti instead makes the trip north with Gainesway Stable’s Villandry(Mr. Greeley). Victorious in a Churchill optional claimer May 9, the chestnut gelding was a close second in that venue’s Opening Verse S. May 31 and finished fourth in the GII Firecracker S. June 28. Fifth last time behind MGISW Big Blue Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in Saratoga’s Lure S. Aug. 2, the 5-year-old has done very little wrong in his career and gains the services of top rider Javier Castellano for this one. 

Sam-Son Farm homebred Aldous Snow (Theatrical {Ire}) is one of the hometown heroes signed on for this test. The Malcolm Pierce trainee secured a nose victory over Perfect Timber (Perfect Soul {Ire}) and Dynamic Sky (Sky Mesa) two back in the GIII Singspiel S. over this course and distance July 6 and was a disappointing sixth as the favorite last time in the Sky Classic.