King Edward Stakes at Woodbine

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 3 King Edward Stakes is on tap for this Sunday June 24th from Woodbine – home of the Queen’s Plate that will be run later that day. Horses three years old and upward will be featured as they race one mile on Woodbine’s turf course.

The King Edward Stakes has drawn a competitive field of seven entries to go in race 7 on Woodbine’s Queen’s Plate undercard. Post time is 3:21 PM. Here is a look into the seven entries and the credentials that brought them to this Grade 3 race.

Havelock – is coming off an impressive win last time out in the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup Stakes at Arlington Park on May 19th to follow a fourth in the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on April 4th. Havelock has raced just once at Woodbine and it was a good win as 18-1 long shot in the Grade 2 Play the Kings Stakes in August. A 14th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November was his lone bad performance in his career. Havelock is a four time stakes winner in his 18 race career and is certainly the one to watch this Sunday.

Hollinger – Canadian Champion Hollinger most recently finished second in an Allowance race here to follow up a rather pedestrian fifth at the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes at Keeneland. Prior to that was a respectable second in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in February and before that he benefitted from Yummy With Butter’s misfortune and was moved up to second in the Grade 3 Ft. Lauderdale. Prior to that result Hollinger finished 3rd at the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Calder. Hollinger has placed in six of his last seven starts – the Maker’s 46 Mile being the only blemish – he has three second place finishes in four starts in 2012.

Big Band Sound – has a streak of three second place finishes on this track going into Sunday’s race – the last two being the Grade 2 Connaught last time out and before that the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes. He also has a win in 2012 in an Allowance Optional Claiming to start the season and a fifth in the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Big Band Sound is no slouch and could be ready to break out this Sunday.

Riding the River – has raced exclusively at Woodbine – 16 career starts with six wins a second and a third place finish. His best career result came in the Grade 2 Play the Kings Stakes – a second behind Havelock. In 2012 Riding the River has a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming and a fourth last time out in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes.

King Edward Stakes betting at Woodbine with OffTrackBetting.com

Stormy Lord – had an impressive streak of three wins in four races last summer with a disappointing 11th in the Play the Kings Stakes sandwiched in there. In 2012 Stormy Lord has struggled – a sixth in an Allowance race was followed by an 11th last time out in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup. He does have some good results – a win in the 2011 Connaught Cup, a win in the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes and wins at the PTHA President’s Cup Stakes and the Labeeb Stakes toward the end of last year. He also has some unflattering results making Stormy Lord hard to trust in this race.

Trend – had two straight second place finishes in graded stakes races coming into the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes – at the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes and the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream. He finished a disappointing eighth in the Dixie and will be looking to rebound from that unspectacular result.

Hothersal – finished an impressive third most recently in his graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Eclipse here on May 26th. In five career starts Hothersal has two wins, two seconds and a third place finish.

Race 7 on Woodbine’s Sunday card with a Post Time of 3:21 PM.