Stablemates English Actor, Side Street Vie in Singspiel

Fresh off a 1-2 finish in last month's Niagara Stakes, stablemates English Actor  and Side Street  will meet again in the CA$175,000 Singspiel Stakes (G3T) Sept. 5 at Woodbine.

The E.P. Taylor turf will host the 1 3/8-mile Singspiel, a race for 3-year-olds and up that has drawn 10 starters.

English Actor, a 5-year-old son of English Channel out of the Storm Cat mare Ambitious Cat , emerged victorious in the Aug. 8 running of the 1 3/8-mile Niagara, edging Side Street by 1 3/4 lengths on the inner turf.

"Everything worked out for him that day," trainer Rachel Halden said. "He looked good doing it. The Singspiel was the logical next place to aim with him."

Standing at 3-4-2 with $225,519 in purse earnings across 13 lifetime starts, the Chiefswood Stables' homebred enters the Singspiel on an upward trajectory.

Side Street, runner-up to his fellow Halden trainee in the Niagara, kept English Actor honest as their conditioner watched her two pupils go head-to-head.

Proud of the game effort from Side Street, another Chiefswood Stables' homebred who "relishes the extra ground," Halden viewed the Singspiel as a natural landing spot for the 5-year-old Kitten's Joy gelding. 

Among those joining the Halden duo in the Singspiel is surging sophomore Coburg . The bay, trained by Sean Smullen, is coming off a commanding 7 1/4-length score Aug. 2 at Woodbine.