Attard sends out three unbeaten horses in the Summer Stakes “Win and You’re In” event
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TORONTO, September 10, 2025 – Trainer Kevin Attard will send out three unbeaten horses – Bill of Ice, Marcus J and Two Out Hero – in Saturday’s $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes (G1T) for 2-year-olds, at Woodbine.
The race will be contested over one mile on the inner turf for the first time, which makes post position a big key to victory, Attard noted.
“I think post position is going to be vital,” Attard said before the draw was held. “That first turn is going to come up quickly. These horses aren't used to navigating two turns. So that's another element.
“Of the three, Bill of Ice lacks the most speed. The other two seem to be a bit more tactical in that sense. They have a little bit more early foot than [Bill of Ice] has. So, I think, depending on how the race unfolds, the jockeys will be able to hopefully maneuver them into an ideal position early. It’s going to be interesting, that's for sure, and I think a little bit luck on the draw is going to be important.”
The Summer Stakes is an official Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event. The winner receives an automatic, fees-paid berth into the $1 million (USD) Juvenile Turf (G1) at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships held October 31- November 1 at Del Mar.
Two Our Hero comes into the Summer a perfect 2-for-2 and sports earnings of $97,683 after wins in a $116,100 Maiden Special Weight on July 13 over 6 furlongs on the turf at Woodbine and in the $180,500 bet365 Soaring Free Stakes over 6 ½ furlongs on August 16, also on the turf at Woodbine. Rafael Hernandez was in the irons for both starts.
“He’s one that showed a lot of promise before he ever ran,” Attard said. “Obviously, he broke his maiden in impressive fashion, came back and won the Soaring Free. It seems like he'll run all day long. The first time out, he went to the lead and dictated the race. Last time, we tried to teach him a little bit by taking him off the pace. I thought he sat in a pocket well, waited for room to open up and kind of made his move. It was nice to see.
“I don't think the two turns are going to be an issue for him. He seems to be thriving right now, and he's had a couple good works on the training track in the interim since his last race. We’re obviously very excited about him.”
Two Out Hero is a son of War Front out of the Liam’s Map mare Song River. bred by Corser Thoroughbreds LLC and owned by Al Gold’s Gold Square LLC. Two Out Hero was purchased for $240,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
The colt’s groom is Elaine Bradbury.
Marcus J is a gelded Ontario-bred chestnut son of Hard Spun out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Johansson that won his only career start – a $116,600 maiden special weight on the main track on August 3 at Woodbine – for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling, the owners of King’s Plate winner Mansetti.
“He’s worked extremely well,” Attard said. “Heading into his first race he was showing a lot of promise. When you get those kind of horses, you're always nervous running the first time out. But, he ran to the works, which is nice and did not disappoint. He’s had a couple good works since.
“He seems like a horse that has a very high ceiling, a lot of ability. I’m pretty excited. Obviously, he's a Canadian bred to boot. So, I’m happy to have him in the barn, and he he's bred to stretch out being by Hard Spun. He should handle the turf as well.”
Bred by Colin Davis’ Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds of Cobourg, ON, Marcus J was purchased for $60,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale.
Marcus J’s groom is Mark Walcott.
Bill of Ice, a homebred son of Constitution out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze, won his $115,100 maiden special weight event by a head over 1 1/16th miles on the inner turf on August 24 at Woodbine with Pietro Moran up.
“Bill of Ice broke his maiden the first time out going two turns and is probably the only horse in the race that has that experience on that turf course,” Attard said. “So, I think that's always a bonus. He was pretty professional when he won and he obviously comes from a good female family and has a great pedigree. We’re hoping he continues to improve.”
The colt is a full-brother to graded stakes winner Americanrevolution, who earned $1,286,810 and won the Grade 1 $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in December of 2021 for trainer Todd Pletcher. Bill of Ice is also a half-brother to Hard Spun-sired graded stakes-winning colt Bold Journey, a winner of $824,043 for trainer Bill Mott.
Bill of Ice is owned by his breeders Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding after being an RNA at $150,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and at both the Ocala Breeders’ March Sale of Two-Year-Olds ($200,000 RNA) and the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale ($150,000 RNA).
“Obviously with his family, they've had high hopes for him, and it was nice to see him start off on the right foot,” Attard said.
“Mentally, he's got the right attitude. He goes about his business pretty professionally, and he did that when he raced… He's trained well in the interim, he had a nice little work on Saturday. From a time perspective, it was slow, but I thought he picked it up as he went along and galloped out really well. So the kind of, you know, I mean, similar to his kind of running style, in a sense. So, I'm looking forward to seeing his next start and hoping to see some more improvement.”
Bill of Ice’s groom is Christopher Escoffery.
Trainer Charlie Appleby will also send out Godolphin homebred Wild Desert (IRE) in the Summer Stakes.
The son of Too Darn Hot (GB) out of the New Approach (IRE) mare Winters Moon (IRE) sports a record of 1-1-1 in three starts and won the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Novice Stakes in his career debut on May 25 at Haydock. In his last start, Wild Desert (IRE) was interfered with and finished third in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
“We were delighted with his run at Newmarket in the Superlative Stakes and he will have learnt a lot from the experience,” Appleby said. “He has shown a good attitude in all of his races. Even when he was hampered on his last start, he kept on gamely.
“This horse has not raced on a turn, yet, so this will be another learning curve for him. He has also been working well and is from an exceptional family so we are hoping he can get his first group win [at Woodbine].”
Field for the Grade 1 $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes (Race 6)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Argos – Flavien Prat – Riley Mott
2 – Rude Procedure – Fraser Aebly – Mark Casse
3 – Timeframe – John Velazquez – Mark Casse
4 – Thesecretadversary (IRE) – Lanfranco Dettori – James Stack
5 – Two Out Hero – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard
6 – Bill of Ice – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard
7 – Casson – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
8 – Marcus J – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard
9 – Military Time (S) – Dylan Davis – Mark Casse
10 – Wild Desert (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby
11 – Jupiter – Sahin Civaci - Mark Casse
12 – Teddy’s Rocket – Joel Rosario – Miguel Clement
Dave Briggs, for Woodbine
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