Brachetto, Military Time Meet Again in Ontario Derby

Eight horses stand between Military Time  and graded stakes glory in the CA$175,000 Ontario Derby (G3) Oct. 17 at Woodbine. Carrying the silks of Gary Barber and St Elias Stable, the son of Gun Runner   faces a deep lineup of rivals.

Military Time was last seen winning the Prince of Wales Stakes Sept. 7 at Fort Erie, finishing a half-length ahead of a game Brachetto . Prior to that effort, the Mark Casse-trained Military Time was runner-up to Luster  in the $722,187 King's Plate Stakes. Brachetto was a troubled eighth in the King's Plate.

Although Brachetto has been winless in his last two starts, he is only one of two graded stakes winners in the field. He won the Marine Stakes (G3) June 27 at Woodbine and his connections believe the son of Vekoma   is sitting on a big effort.

"It was a great effort," trainer Julia Carey said of his second-place finish in the Prince of Wales. "We were jumping up and down, let me tell you. He was on the toughest part of the track, down along the inside, which was the deepest part, but he dug in and was very brave. I hope he does it again on Saturday. We're hoping for another big effort from him."

Carey said Brachetto exited the race in good order.

"He was a little tired after that one, so that's why we decided not to go the mile and a half on the turf in the Breeders' Stakes (final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown Sept. 27)," she said. "We felt it was the right decision in the best interest of the horse, so here we are."

Kevin Attard enters two horses—dual graded stakes winner Final Score  and Teleport .

Repole Stable's Final Score won back-to-back graded stakes as a 2-year-old but is winless in two starts at 3. The son of Not This Time   enters the 1 1/8-mile race off a seventh-place finish in the Toronto Cup Stakes Aug. 29.

Repole Stable also owns Teleport, a son of Lope de Vega  , in partnership with Newtown Anner Stud Farm. Teleport was fourth in the Toronto Cup and was elevated to first in an allowance optional claiming race Sept. 24 at Woodbine, following the disqualification of Adir .

Breeders' Stakes winner Fire and Wine , Toronto Cup Stakes winner Chaos Agent , graded stakes-placed Bull by the Horns , Trevally , and Western Warrior  round out the field.

Creed's Gold Favored in Ontario Fashion

Creed's Gold 's win in the Hendrie Stakes (G3) in July looked even better after second-place finisher Time to Dazzle  won last weekend's Franklin Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland in impressive fashion. 

Kristin Meldahl's Creed's Gold has proved versatile, winning on the all-weather track at Woodbine and on the turf. The daughter of Jimmy Creed   started the season with a win in the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and followed that up with a second-place finish in the Giant's Causeway Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind the highly-regarded In Our Time .

In her most recent effort, she won the Hendrie Stakes for the second year in a row. The Mark Casse trainee enters the 6-furlong race fresh.

"She's ready to run her race every time," said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. "It's very nice to have a horse like her, where you know what to expect every time." ​ 

Last year's Ontario Fashion winner Les Reys  will look to return to her winning ways Saturday. The French-bred mare, who has been winless in five starts this year, was last seen finishing a solid third to Reagan's Flame  in the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2).