Theregoesjojo Faces Large Field in Overflow Valedictory
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Photo: Michael Burns
Theregoesjojo trains at Woodbine
The final stakes race on the 2021 Woodbine Thoroughbred calendar, the Dec. 5 CA$150,000 Valedictory Stakes (G3), attracted a full field of 14 starters, plus one also eligible. The marathon test, for 3-year-olds and up, drew 2019 Belmont Stakes (G1) hero Sir Winston and multiple graded stakes victor Special Forces .
A 12-1 outsider on the morning line, the Michael De Paulo-trained Theregoesjojo , will look to make it back to the winner's circle for the first time since last October.
Owned by Samotowka Stables, the 6-year-old gelded son of English Channel brings a record of 6-6-5 from 29 starts into the Valedictory, a race he finished third in two years ago.
"We've been a little unlucky with him this year, that he hasn't won a race," said De Paulo. "He's a hard-trying horse and he loves a distance of ground. He just keeps coming. Those races sometimes get paceless, which is always a concern because it's hard to close against nothing. Hopefully, there will be some pace in there. He's pretty much an off-the-pace horse."
Although winless this year, Theregoesjojo was a solid third in the July 25 Niagara Stakes and fourth, beaten out a neck for the show, in the Aug. 21 Singspiel Stakes (G3T).
De Paulo is hoping the Ontario-bred, who arrives at the Valedictory off a troubled trip in a 1 1/8-mile main track allowance optional claimer Nov. 14, can finish his season on a high note.
"We'd definitely like to end the year with a bang. We took him to Florida last year, and he did okay, and this year he's going to get the winter off. He's a good-feeling horse, nothing out of the ordinary. He does his thing, loves to train and he's good feeling when he's coming back home after he breezes. You have to be on your toes because he might drop you. But he's a horse you like to have in your barn. You know he'll always go out there and try."
Emma-Jayne Wilson, who has four Valedictory titles on her résumé, gets the call.
Trainer Kevin Attard has won three of the past five editions of the race, including back-to-back scores, 2018-19, both with Pumpkin Rumble .
He'll send out Al and Bill Uwelling's longshot Burning Man and 3-1 second favorite Special Forces, who won the Durham Cup Stakes (G3) two starts ago and recently was third behind Mighty Heart and Sir Winston in the Nov. 14 Autumn Stakes (G2). Attard co-owns Special Forces with Soli Mehta.
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Tracy Farmer's homebred Sir Winston, favored on the morning line at 5-2, will make his fourth consecutive start at Woodbine since returning to the races this August. The 5-year-old son of Awesome Again , trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, was victorious in his Aug. 19 return in an allowance optional claiming contest before recording back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Durham Cup and Autumn Stakes.
Woodbine, Sunday, December 05, 2021, Race 11Entries: Valedictory S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Sir Sahib (KY)
Gary Boulanger
120
Denyse McClachrie
12/1
2
2Win d'Oro (KY)
Rafael Manuel Hernandez
120
Mark E. Casse
12/1
3
3War Bomber (IRE)
Daisuke Fukumoto
120
Norman McKnight
6/1
4
4Special Forces (KY)
Justin Stein
122
Kevin Attard
3/1
5
5Frosted Over (KY)
Kazushi Kimura
120
Mark E. Casse
8/1
6
6English Conqueror (ON)
David Moran
120
Darwin D. Banach
20/1
7
7Shangassah (KY)
Christopher Husbands
120
Alison Crook
20/1
8
8Jelgo (ON)
Sahin Civaci
118
Matt Douglas
30/1
9
9Peace Seeker (FL)
Keveh Nicholls
117
Nicholas Nosowenko
30/1
10
10Burning Man (KY)
Justin Stein
120
Kevin Attard
20/1
11
11Sir Winston (KY)
Patrick Husbands
120
Mark E. Casse
5/2
12
12Seventyseven Stone (FL)
Ademar Santos
120
Paul D. Lepiane
30/1
13
13Collective Force (ON)
Steven Ronald Bahen
118
Rachel Halden
20/1
14
14Theregoesjojo (ON)
Emma-Jayne Wilson
120
Michael P. De Paulo
12/1
15
15Assiduously (GB)
Omar Moreno
120
Eduardo Caramori
12/1
