Riker Chases Marine Stakes Return to Form

The $150,000 Marine Stakes (CAN-III) at Woodbine May 14 has drawn a field of six, headlined by champion and multiple stakes winner Riker.

The Sovereign Award-winning 2-year-old colt of 2015 took four straight races last year, all at Woodbine. His victories included the Grey Stakes (CAN-III), his prep for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Keeneland. After setting the pace early in the Juvenile, he finished sixth in the field of fourteen.

This year, Riker has raced in graded stakes at Tampa Bay and at Keeneland in his most recent  start, where he finished eighth in the April 16 Lexington Stakes (gr. III). In the Lexington, he was in striking distance of the leaders until the stretch when he began to fade. 

He seeks to get back to his graded stakes winning and championship form Saturday and has been training at Woodbine, where he breezed 5 furlongs in :59 flat May 1, the fastest of 105 works at the distance that day. If he’s returning to his top form, he will be the horse to beat in the Marine Stakes.

Riker faces Bear'sway, who won the Wando Stakes at Woodbine in late April in his most recent start, giving him a total of three victories at the Canadian track. The Marine Stakes will mark his second start of the year, as well as a step up to the graded stakes level for the second time in his career.

Also contesting the Marine Stakes will be maiden special weight winners Greatest Game, Dragon Bay, and Beaver Trapper, and maiden claiming winner Thatlookonyerface.

Greatest Game, Thatlookonyerface, and Greatest Game are stakes placed, and the lightly-raced Beaver Trapper is making his fourth lifetime start and his first in stakes company.