Stage set for strong edition of Grade 3 HPIbet Singspiel

TORONTO, October 3, 2024 – Highland Chief (IRE) seemed ready for a solid North American career after becoming a Grade 1 stakes winner in Belmont’s Man O’War over 1 3/8 miles of turf back in the spring of 2022 and adding Keeneland’s 1 ½ mile Sycamore (G3T) that fall.

Now, the 7-year-old horse will look to get back to the winner’s circle in Woodbine’s HPIbet Singspiel Stakes (G3T) after missing all of 2023 and failing to find the range in five performances at five different racetracks this season.

Saturday’s $175,000 Singspiel, open to 3-year-olds and upward and run over 1 3/8 miles on the E.P. Taylor turf, attracted a robust field of 14, which includes three shippers from south of the border.

Graham Motion, who trains Highland Chief for Mrs. Fitri Hay, is hoping that he has found the spot in which Highland Chief can replicate some of his former glories.

“I think he’s been disappointing this year; I don’t think he’s come back quite as well as he was,” said Motion, who has watched Highland Chief finish in the money just twice this year with those efforts coming in listed stakes.

“His first couple of races, I could give him plenty of excuses,” said Motion. “He trains very well. I’ve been very happy with his training all year. This seems like a good opportunity to try something different on a different type of turf course.”

Motion is no stranger to success at Woodbine with his 20 stakes winners here including Sharaze in the 2016 Singspiel.

Palazzi is the defending champion in the Singspiel, which was run last year at 1 ¼ miles, but also enters Saturday’s renewal as a bit of a question mark.

Freshened after being unplaced in five post-Singspiel starts, Palazzi returned to action here June 1 with an upset victory in the Eclipse (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The 6-year-old gelding, trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, finished fourth in his next two starts on the Tapeta and most recently ran third in the Niagara, a listed turf stakes at 1 ¼ miles.

“He’s steady,” said Casse. “If the race sets up good for him, he comes running. If it doesn’t, then he doesn’t.”

Casse also will field a pair of supplemented entrants in Eyes On the King, who was part of an overly ambitious Niagara pace, and Like the King, who is coming off a sixth-place finish in the one-mile King Edward (G2T).

Lac Macaza, the “now” horse in the Singspiel, became a stakes winner in the Niagara after tracking the breakaway leaders from third place and getting a winning jump when those two faltered.

A 5-year-old Ontario-bred gelding, Lac Macaza was coming into the Niagara after ending second in a 1 ¼ mile turf allowance won by Stone Age (IRE), the other participant in the Niagara pace duel as the 8-5 choice.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Julia Carey, who conditions Lac Macaza for Goldie Stables and Discovery Racing. “He seems to be just as good as he was going into his last race.

“He’s gotten better as he’s gotten older. This has been a prime year for him.”

Stone Age, also returning in the Singspiel, finished second in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf and now is based here with trainer Pat Parente after being purchased by Copper Water Thoroughbred Company Limited earlier this year.

Truly Quality, trained by Jonathan Thomas, and Eldon’s Prince, conditioned by Saffie Joseph Jr., are the other Singspiel invaders.

Recently based in Kentucky, Truly Quality made a successful stakes debut in the Colonial Cup, a listed stakes over 1 ½ miles of turf, and should make his presence felt as he moves into graded company.

Eldon’s Prince, a 5-year-old horse who was bred in Canada by the late Bill Graham, will be making his first start in his native land and was a listed stakes winner on both turf and Tapeta two seasons back at Gulfstream.

Rounding out the local contingent will be English Conqueror, a proven marathoner who finished second in the 2021 Singspiel; Malibu Mambo, third in last year’s September 9 edition and a smart winner when making his first start since then in a turf allowance sprint three weeks ago; Spinzar and supplementary entrant Dancin in Da’nile, the respective fourth and fifth-place finishers in the Niagara; Dun Drum, an allowance upsetter on the main track last time out; and  Loose Wire, making his stakes and turf debut after winning two of his first three starts.

Field for the Grade 3, $175,000 HPIbet Singspiel (Race 6)

1 – Palazzi – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

2 – English Conqueror – Rafael Hernandez – Darwin Banach

3 – Highland Chief (IRE) – Declan Cannon – Graham Motion

4 – Malibu Mambo – David Moran – Michael Doyle

5 – Loose Wire – Julien Leparoux – Kevin Attard

6 – Dancin in Da’nile (S) – Jose Campos – Gail Cox

7 – Stone Age (IRE) – Leo Salles – Pat Parente

8 – Lac Macaza – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Julia Carey

9 – Spinzar – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

10 – Eldon’s Prince – Keveh Nicholls – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

11 – Eyes On the King (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

12 – Like the King (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

13 – Dun Drum – Fraser Aebly – Ian Black

14 – Truly Quality – Vincent Cheminaud – Jonathan Thomas

Bill Tallon, for Woodbine Communications