TORONTO, September 24, 2019 – Each week, track announcer Robert Geller comments on some of the performances that caught his eye, highlighting horses to key in on for upcoming races at Woodbine. MUSKOKA GOLD (Sunday, Sept. 15, Race 3, No. 5, 2nd) Muskoka Gold was runner-up in the Ontario Bred Sales Graduate Maiden, a race that was taken off the E.P.Taylor Turf and switched to the main track to the extended distance of a mile and a sixteenth. Muskoka Gold was bumped at the break and came from mid-pack to run an eye-catching second. The two-year-old by Lea from a Medaglia d’Oro dam flew home up the rail in the stretch, only to be beaten a neck by Northern Thunder, who came with a retaliatory kick near the wire. The less experienced and lesser favoured of his stable pair, Muskoka Gold (10/1) beat home odds-on elect Muskoka Giant, who wound up fourth in this allowance race behind Monmouth shipper Resurgent. The fact that Muskoka Gold was entered to run on turf yet effectively opened his account on the main track suggests both surfaces will be an option going forward that should help in finding his right level. PRICELESS WILL (Saturday, Sept. 14, Race 8, No. 2, 2nd) To his credit, Priceless Will only lost out in a head bob despite having been shuffled back through the field in his first lifetime appearance, emerging through the middle of the pack down the stretch for a desperate second-place finish. Bet down to favourite at odds-on, the Mark Casse-trained two-year-old son of Wilko debuted at the $40,000 optional claiming level going five furlongs and would have won in one more jump. Another first-time starter, Agnelli, got the bob having had more time and space to build momentum. Priceless Will was bumped in upper stretch yet still showed great turn of foot in the run to the wire to catch valuable ground. The previously raced runners, Storm Chart and Valuable Pillow, filled out the minor awards. Priceless Will is likely to benefit from a sprint longer than five furlongs next time out where anything close to this level of performance could be a winning one. Follow Geller on Twitter @WoodbineGeller for more insights on racing at Woodbine. Share This:Share
