2-Year-Olds Pursue G1 Opportunities in Natalma, Summer

Cairo Consort, a 2-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince  , will face seven rookie rivals in the CA$500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (G1T), one of two top-level races for juveniles Sept. 17 at Woodbine. The other race is the CA$500,000 Pattison Summer Stakes (G1T) for 2-year-old males.

Both races are at a mile on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, offering automatic Breeders' Cup berths as part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series. The Natalma propels its winner into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), and the Summer into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). Those races are Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

Cairo Consort, conditioned by Nathan Squires for owner William B. Thompson Jr., brings a two-race win streak into the Natalma. On July 23, the gray, bred in Kentucky by Frankfort Park Farm, broke her maiden in what was her third start, maintaining a 1 1/2-length lead at the stretch call for the milestone win at 6 1/2 furlongs on the E.P. Taylor. 

One race later, on Aug. 20, she was back in the winner's circle, this time in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes. Under Antonio Gallardo, who will be in the irons on Saturday, Cairo Consort rallied to hold a half-length advantage at the stretch call, going on to notch a 2 1/2-length triumph in another 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint over the E.P. Taylor. 

"She is all that we expected and more," Squires said of the $95,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale. "But you never know until they run. It doesn't matter what they show you in the mornings, you don't exactly know what they are and how good they are until they run. But I always had high expectations of her from the time she was a yearling. She was high on the list for Mr. Thompson and myself and we're very lucky to have her." 

Squires hopes her fighting spirit will be on display when Cairo Consort stretches out in distance and tackles top first-year fillies in the Natalma. She is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Kevin Attard will be represented by the trio of Courtly Ro , Last Call , and Wickenheiser . The latter is the shortest price of his three runners on the morning line at 3-1.

"She won her first race, and she's bred to run all day long," Attard said of the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid . "She was a little disappointing (fifth) in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes, but I'm just hoping the shorter distance (6 1/2 furlongs) compromised her. Stretching out to a mile should benefit her greatly."  

Mark Casse, who has a record seven Natalma crowns to his name, will send out Adora  and Star Candy . 

The Natalma is the 10th race on a 12-race card.

Philip My Dear Springs into Grade 1 Pattison Summer 

Attard is also represented in the Summer with Raroma Stable's Philip My Dear , who rallied to take the Soaring Free Stakes Aug. 20 in his final start leading up to the race.

Attard, who won the 2001 edition with El Soprano , will look to unbeaten Philip My Dear to add another Summer title to his résumé. 

After two wins in as many starts, the dark bay has lived up to his $100,000 yearling price tag, putting together a pair of pleasing performances. In capturing the Soaring Free, under leading Woodbine rider Kazushi Kimura, Philip My Dear weaved through traffic to notch a three-quarter length score in the 6 1/2-furlong race. 

One race earlier, on July 3, the Ontario-bred (Adena Springs) split horses down the lane to earn a 1 1/2-length win in the six-furlong race, which also was on the E.P. Taylor. 

"He definitely makes it thrilling, that's for sure," said Attard. "Both races were very similar. Last time, I didn't think he was going to get up there in time, but he managed to split horses, and Kazushi got him there just in the nick of time. He's a very nice horse and hasn't done anything wrong to this point. We hope that trend continues."  

Mysterious Night , a group 3 winner in France for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite. The son of Dark Angel  is 2-1-2 in five starts, with his thirds coming in group 2 races.

William Buick will be in the irons once again.

Casse will send out Ninetyfour Expos  and Stayhonor Goodside  in the Summer, a race he has won on four occasions. 

The Hall of Fame conditioner netted the natural hat trick from 2013-15, starting with My Conquestadory , followed by Conquest Typhoon  and Conquest Daddyo . He also won with Gretzky the Great  in 2020. 

Klaravich Stables' Appraise , a U.S. invader for trainer Chad Brown, is the 5-1 third choice on the morning line behind Mysterious Night and Philip My Dear. He ran fourth in the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga Race Course after a debut win there. Both races came sprinting at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Entries: Pattison Summer S. (G1T)

Woodbine, Saturday, September 17, 2022, Race 7

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $500,000
• 2 yo
• 4:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mysterious Night (IRE)	William T. Buick	122	Charles Appleby	6/5
2	2Ninetyfour Expos (ON)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	122	Mark E. Casse	15/1
3	3Appraise (IRE)	Manuel Franco	122	Chad C. Brown	5/1
4	4Chiseler (KY)	Patrick Husbands	122	Barbara J. Minshall	12/1
5	5Sammy Stone (ON)	Declan Carroll	122	Catherine Day Phillips	20/1
6	6Philip My Dear (ON)	Kazushi Kimura	122	Kevin Attard	2/1
7	7Stayhonor Goodside (ON)	Sahin Civaci	122	Mark E. Casse	6/1

Entries: Johnnie Walker Natalma S. (G1T)

Woodbine, Saturday, September 17, 2022, Race 10

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $500,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 6:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cairo Consort (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	121	Nathan Squires	2/1
2	2Collecting Flatter (KY)	Justin Stein	121	Josie Carroll	8/1
3	3G Laurie (KY)	Manuel Franco	121	H. Graham Motion	4/1
4	4Last Call (KY)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	121	Kevin Attard	15/1
5	5Adora (ON)	Patrick Husbands	121	Mark E. Casse	6/1
6	6Wickenheiser (ON)	Luis Contreras	121	Kevin Attard	3/1
7	7Courtly Ro (ON)	Kazushi Kimura	121	Kevin Attard	10/1
8	8Star Candy (FL)	Declan Carroll	121	Mark E. Casse	12/1