The Northern Dancer at Woodbine calls up 8 runners to capture $500,000 worth of purse money
The year’s edition of the Canadian Grade 1 Northern Dancer presented by VTech at Woodbine will be an open affair with eight older runners to battle it out in the $500,000 event on 18 September.
The 5-year-old gelding, Bourbon Bay, trained by Neil Drysdale for owner David Heerensperger, is among the eight runners.
The gelding has been partially consistent this year and will look to bring his season’s momentum into the race.
Bourbon Bay’s ultimate threat is an international one, the 4-year-old European invader, Wigmore Hall, bidding for his third start on North American soil.
Wigmore Hall will look to outrun Bourbon Bay in the Northern Dancer.
The son of Sligo Bay, Bourbon Bay is coming off a good season at the Del Mar, with a win and a runner-up finish out of two starts.
On 29 July, 2011, Bourbon Bay ran in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap on Poly Track over a distance of 1 ½ miles, and went on to win the race, completing the distance in 2 minutes and 29.39 seconds.
However, he is coming off a second place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap under jockey J Talamo also at Del Mar.
With 1 3/8 miles to cover on turf, Bourbon Bay came from behind to challenge the leader, Celtic New Year, in the final strides.
Bourbon Bay gave his all and ran valiantly till the end, but couldn’t edge past Celtic New Year, who finished the 1 3/8 miles' distance in 2 minutes and 14.92 seconds.
Wigmore Hall was at Arlington Park in his last start, fighting it out in the Grade 1 Arlington Million against Cape Blanco and Gio Ponti, the top two finishers in the race, leaving Wigmore Hall to finish fourth in the race.
The son of High Chaparral, Wigmore Hall was at Arlington Park in 2010 as well, where he participated in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes on turf, over 1 ¼ miles on 21 August, 2010.
He finished second there, behind the winner, Paddy O’Prado, with a winning time of 2 minutes and 5.71 seconds.
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