Woodbine: Spot plays for Trillium, Royal North Stakes

While Saratoga and Monmouth Park are attracting most of the attention this weekend, Woodbine in Canada also has a solid slate of races on the agenda.

Two graded stakes will go Saturday and both are competitive events with the potential to produce upset winners. Let’s play along on a $50 budget.

Race 8: Trillium (G3, 4:55 p.m. ET)

Trainer Michael Dickson has achieved impressive success with both flat runners and steeplechase stars in England and the United States. He also took time out of his decorated career to develop Tapeta, a popular synthetic racing surface installed at a number of tracks around the world.

Fittingly, Dickinson’s runners have shown an affinity for the Tapeta track at Woodbine. Since the beginning of 2016, Dickinson has gone 7-for-25 (28%) with horses competing over the Woodbine Tapeta, and on Saturday he can add to his win total with #4 Theodora B. (7-2), a daughter of Ghostzapper, out of a Dynaformer mare.

Theodora B. has already shown promising form over the Woodbine Tapeta. Last fall, she brought a two-length lead into the homestretch of the 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf (G3) but settled for third place, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths. The 1 1/16-mile distance of the Trillium is more suitable for Theodora B., as she demonstrated when she rallied to win a June 26 turf allowance at Laurel Park to kick off 2020.

With high-percentage jockey Patrick Husbands (a 20% winner at Woodbine) in the saddle, Theodora B. can spring a mild upset in the Trillium. We’ll bet her to win and play her on top of #2 Amalfi Coast (8-1), #3 Art of Almost (5-2), #6 Painting (6-1), and #7 Another Time (2-1) in the trifecta.

$18 to win on #4 Theodora B.
$1 trifecta: 4 with 2,3,6,7 with 2,3,6,7 ($12)
Total: $30

Race 9: Royal North (G2, 5:28 p.m. ET)

In this 6-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, we’ll take a small shot with #6 Eyeinthesky (20-1), whose recent form has been muddied by challenging circumstances.

Two starts back, she failed to fire over a yielding turf course in the Intercontinental (G3), and last time out — when she tried to stretch out over a mile in the Nassau (G2) — Eyeinthesky broke poorly and was extremely rank early on, before she understandably faded in the homestretch.

The cut back in distance should make all the difference for Eyeinthesky, who hasn’t missed the board in her last five turf sprints. At Saratoga last summer, she produced a sharp rally to win the 5 1/2-furlong Galway S. over fellow Royal North competitors #5 Sister Peacock (7-2) and #2 Bohemian Bourbon (15-1), so on her best day, we know Eyeinthesky can compete at this level.

With Husbands in the saddle for hot trainer Mark Casse, Eyeinthesky is worth betting to win and place.

$10 to win on #6 Eyeinthesky
$10 to place on #6 Eyeinthesky
Total: $20

Good luck!