Attfield Runner Looks Live in Ontario Colleen

The top three horses on the morning line for Saturday’s GIII Ontario Colleen S. at Woodbine are drawn in the three inside gates, but City Wells (City Zip) looks poised to post a mild upset from a wider barrier Saturday afternoon.

Unraced at two, ‘Shel’ Evans’s homebred overcame a slow pace to graduate going 6 1/2 furlongs over the Polytrack May 2. Off to a studder-step start trying the grass for the first time July 1, the blaze-faced bay was a better-than-it-looked sixth, but she cut back to seven furlongs for her latest and rallied from last to score by a half-length July 24, stopping the timer in a smart 1:20.58. The added distance should be no issue, as her dam is an Irish-bred Sadler’s Wells half-sister to champion Pleasant Stage (Pleasant Colony) as well as Colonial Play (Pleasant Colony), winner of the GII Orchid S. over 12 grassy furlongs.

But the favorites should have some say in the finish. Don’t Leave Me (Lemon Drop Kid), the 2-1 choice, won the GIII Bourbonette Oaks over the Turfway synth in March and narrowly missed in the GIII Selene S. on this Polytrack May 24. Returned to the States for the GIII Regret S. June 13, the Pin Oak homebred was doing her best work late when fourth, beaten just under three lengths. The daughter of GISW See How She Runs (Maria’s Mon) should find these easier to deal with.

Mississippi Delta (Giant’s Causeway), closely related to Pin Oak stallion Cowboy Cal, also drops in class off an even seventh behind Mrs. McDougal (Medaglia d’Oro) in Saratoga’s GII Lake George S. July 24. She’d been on the turf only once before that, but it was a good debut, as she ran out a three-length winner of the 6 1/2-furlong Alywow S. June 14.

If she can transfer her main-track form to the grass, London Tower (Head Chopper) can also not be dismissed. The Fury S. victress narrowly missed in the Woodbine Oaks and in the Bison City S., the first two legs of the Canadian Filly Triple Crown, in June and July, respectively, but finally got back to winning ways with a neck success in the Eternal Search S. July 29. While her pedigree doesn’t scream turf, her paternal grandsire Mutakddim is a prolific sire of grass runners in South America, while dam sire Military, a son of Danzig, can also be a positive turf influence.