By Christina Bossinakis
The last time OXO Equine's Cambier Parc (Medaglia d'Oro) faced the starter was in Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. last October and the blue-blooded filly looks to mark her return in Saturday's GII Canadian S. at Woodbine. A front-running winner in the nine-furlong test for 3-year-old fillies, the Chad Brown trainee employed completely opposite tactics when closing from off the pace to score in the GI Del Mar Oaks in August. Earlier last season, she won the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream and the GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont before finishing third in the GI Belmont Oaks in July. Rafael Hernandez accompanies the 4-year-old for the first time Saturday.
Terra Racing's Amalfi Coast (Tapizar) hit the board in seven of eight starts during her sophomore campaign, including season closing wins in the grassy Ontario Damsel S. and Carotene S. against Ontario-bred fillies prior to a seven-panel main track score in the Nov. 24 GII Bessarabian S. This term, the homebred finished third in her latest start in the seven-furlong GIII Seaway S. on the Woodbine Tapeta Aug. 16.
Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield is already responsible for a trio of Canadian wins and will attempt to secure his fourth Saturday with the duo of Elizabeth Way (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}) and Art of Almost (Dansili {GB}). The former accounted for a pair of wins at Gulfstream, including the GIII The Very One S. in February and subsequently added a score in Woodbine's GII Nassau S. June 27. Most recently, she finished third in the 10-furlong GII Dance Smartly S. Aug. 15.
“It wasn't her race at all,” said Attfield, of her most recent performance. “She didn't really go into it as nicely as she had in all her other races. She didn't really run her race. She was running off the bridle with her head up. But at least she was third, anyway. She's coming into this one much better than she was the last one, for sure.”
One position behind her stablemate in the Dance Smartly, Art of Almost finished second in a Churchill Downs optional claimer earlier this spring before adding a win going 8 1/2 furlongs over the E.P. Taylor turf in June. She was fourth in the July 18 GIII Trillium S. prior to her Dance Smartly run.
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