Tower of Texas sharp in Woodbine Mile breeze

Tower of Texas, prepping for his third consecutive appearance in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, breezed five furlongs in :59.60 over the turf training track under regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva here Sunday.

“He worked fantastic,” said regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva. “I could not be more happy.”

Tower of Texas, who is trained by Roger Attfield, finished a close second behind the superstar Tepin in last year’s Woodbine Mile. The Ontario-bred 6-year-old gelding had finished seventh, beaten 5 ¼ lengths, in the 2015 running.

Northern Dancer candidates Camp Creek, Noble Thought and Seeking Albert all breezed on the turf training course Sunday morning.

The Grade 1 $300,000 Northern Dancer, a 1 ½ mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, is the major local prep for the Oct. 15 Canadian International over the same course and distance and is one of three stakes on the Woodbine Mile undercard.

Camp Creek went in 1:01.60 under Rafael Hernandez, who will be back in the irons after guiding the gelding to his upset score in last year’s Breeders’ Stakes and his sixth-place finish in the Northern Dancer. The Breeders’, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, also is a 1 ½ mile turf race.

Seeking Albert, a close fourth in this year’s Breeders’, was clocked in 1:01.20.

Noble Thought, coming off a second-place finish here behind Can’thelpbelieving in the Grade 2 Sky Classic over 1 3/8 miles of turf, was timed in :48.80 for four furlongs.

According to Environment Canada, warm weather is on the way for Saturday's 21st edition of the Ricoh Woodbine Mile with a high of 22 degrees Celsius and a mix of sun and cloud for the $800,000 Grade 1 event.

Horse/Owner/Trainer

Arod (IRE) / Qatar Racing Limited / David Simcock

Conquest Panthera / Gary Barber / Mark Casse 

Deauville (IRE) / Mrs. Fitri Hay, Mrs. John Magnier, Mr. Michael Tabor and Mr. Derrick Smith / Aidan O’Brien

Disco Partner / Mrs. Patricia A. Generazio / Christophe Clement

Dragon Bay / Brent McLellan, Russell McLellan and Stuart C. Simon / Stuart Simon

Dutch Connection (GB) / Godolphin / Charlie Hills

Glenville Gardens / Janice Attard / Sid Attard

Lancaster Bomber / Mr. Michael B. Tabor, Mr. Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier / Aidan O'Brien

Long on Value / Wachtel Stable, Kerr, George J. and Barber, Gary / William I. Mott

Mondialiste / Geoff and Sandra Turnbull / David O'Meara

Tower of Texas / Thomas F. Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth / Roger Attfield

World Approval / Live Oak Plantation / Mark Casse