After scoring a clear victory in his Woodbine debut in last year’s Dominion Day Stakes (Can-III), Red Rifle will try to defend that title July 1 in the 1 1/4-mile main-track race.
Woodbine’s main track has changed since last year, as the Polytrack has been swapped for Tapeta, but surface has never been a concern for Red Rifle. The 6-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding owns graded stakes wins on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces.
After a pair of off-the-board finishes racing on turf this spring to open the season, Twin Creeks Farm’s Red Rifle looked better in his previous start, finishing second to S’maverlous June 4 in the $200,000 Mountainview Handicap on the main track at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
Since that effort, the five-time stakes winner has breezed twice at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Todd Pletcher, including a half-mile move June 24 in :48.88. That work ranked second-fastest of 47 at the distance that day.
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by Frank Angst
BH June 29, 2016
Photo by Michael Burns
