Sunday Racing Picks 12/15: Valedictory Stakes
The weekend ends north of the border at Woodbine in Toronto, Canada for the closing-day feature, the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes for 3-year-olds and up over 1 3/4 miles on the all-weather track.
The field of 11 will go to gate for race 9 on the huge 16-race card with an approximate post time of 5:08 p.m. ET.
#5, Pumpkin Rumble, Eurico Da Silva, 1-1
This will be Pumpkin Rumble’s whopping 49th career start (10-8-10), but only his fifth this year (1-0-2). This will also be his 20th graded stakes start, including his third Valedictory (1-0-0), highlighted by his ½ length victory last year. Eurico Da Silva will ride for the last time in stakes event for trainer Kevin Attard, who is shooting for his ninth career stakes win. The morning-line favorite will send Da Silva off with a resounding win. The pick.
#6, Surprise Twist, Patrick Husbands, 3-1
Winless in seven starts this year (0-4-1), Surprise Twist has had runner-up finishes in four of his last five starts, including his last appearance in the New Jersey Hunt Cup Stakes at Far Hills on Oct. 19. Today will mark his 19th career start (3-5-6), where he shoots for his first win since an allowance optional claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 5, 2018. Patrick Husbands has the mount for Arnaud Delacour, who is 4-for-9 at Woodbine this meet. Runner-up.
#11, Sir Sahib, Luis Contreras, 12-1
Sir Sahib followed up three straight in-the-money finishes (1-1-1) with back-to-back fifth-place finishes in his last two starts, including the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 14. He also finished second in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes on July 28 and a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes on June 22. Luis Contreras is in the saddle for another entrant for trainer Kevin Attard. Contender.
#7, Theregoesjojo, Kazushi Kimura, 10-1
Theregoesjojo has posted an impressive 4-2-0 record in 10 starts this year. His four-race win streak was snapped in his last start, where he finished runner-up by a ½ length in a starter optional claiming race at Woodbine on Oct. 19. Kazushi Kimura is on the mount for trainer Michael De Paulo. In the mix.
PICKS: 5-6-11-7