Lockout Holds Class Edge in Nearctic Stakes

John Oxley's Lockout has been knocking heads with top company since July, which gives the 5-year-old Limehouse   horse a class edge in Nearctic Stakes (Can-IIT) Oct. 19 at Woodbine.

The six-furlong Nearctic, worth $300,000, will go as the eighth on an 11-race program that features the grade I Pattison Canadian International and E.P. Taylor stakes.



Lockout, trained by Mark Casse, will have Gary Boulanger up and break from post 2 in a 10-horse lineup. On July 6 Lockout closed from ninth to finish third in the Highlander Stakes (Can-IIT) at the Nearctic trip. He rallied from 14 lengths out of it to finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length Aug. 10 in Woodbine's seven-furlong Play the King Stakes (Can-IIT). He was tested against the best in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Can-I) Sept. 14, finishing sixth.



The cutback to a more favorable distance and lighter competition should have him in the frame. He's the 5-2 choice on the morning line.



On the extreme outside in post 10, Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman's Calgary Cat comes to the Nearctic off a win in the grade III Bold Venture Stakes Sept. 13 on Woodbine's Polytrack at 6 1/2 furlongs. In late August the 4-year-old Cowtown Cat   gelding scored at the same distance on the turf against allowance/optional claiming company.



Watch for 12-1 outsider Paso Doble, a winner of two straight against restricted stakes foes of late. The 8-year-old Bold n' Flashy gelding has some speed and might carry this field a long way.



Upgrade, on the rail in the Nearctic, has only one win from seven starts this year but has the back class to be a factor. Chad Brown trains for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and Gary Aisquith. The 7-year-old from the lone crop of Saint Liam won the Jaipur Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont back in 2012 and was a closing third, beaten just a half length Sept. 27 at Belmont going seven furlongs on the turf.



Two races back Upgrade was behind Dreamsgonewild, a New York-bred gelding by Freud   who then went on to win the Laurel Dash Sept. 27 at six furlongs on the  Laurel Park turf course. A winner of three straight, Dreamsgonewild is 6-1 on the morning line for the Nearctic.