Share

Latest Articles  HK Cup Entries  Hong Kong Cup works  Hollywood Derby Day  P. Elizabeth & Coronation  Leparoux wins #3000

2024 Eclipse Stakes Day at Woodbine

Jockey Sahin Civaci celebrates aboard Palazzo after the 2024 Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine.

There were four graded stakes contested at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday afternoon. Conditions were typical for the first weekend of June in Southern Ontario, with partly cloudy skies and a daytime high of 23.3 C (73.9 F), with both turf courses firm. This year, all 4 of Canada's Grade 1 races will be run on Saturday, September 14, including the Woodbine Mile and E.P. Taylor Stakes. Unfortunately, track management did not schedule the prestigious Canadian International in 2024, "after review and consideration of industry and logistical challenges."

Down the stretch in the Eclipse Stakes (G2)

The headliner was the $175,000 bet365 Eclipse Stakes (G2) featuring some of the top older horses in Canada going 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta. Tyson was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 7, making his 2024 debut after finishing fifth in the Autumn Stakes (G2) in November. In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Skyro, fifth in the Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs, and 9-2 third choice Paramount Prince, winner of last year's King's Plate and here off a win in a Gulfstream allowance.

Jockey Fernando De La Cruz sent 11-2 fourth choice Get Smokin to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.47, 49.25, and 1:13.60 while pressed by Paramount Prince and stalked by 11-1 J P Hellish. Into the lane Get Smokin continued to lead to midstretch but Palazzi, last early under Sahin Civaci, rallied 7 wide and outfinished Tyson to win by 1/2 a length in 1:43.86. It was a head back to Paramount Prince third.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 3 Palazzi Civaci 15.10 6.20 4.00 1 Tyson Kimura 3.70 2.80 6 Paramount Prince Husbands 3.20 Winning Time: 1:43.86 $1 Exacta 3-1 24.80 $0.20 Trifecta 3-1-6 26.45 $0.20 Superfecta 3-1-6-7 119.29 Results Chart Left: Palazzi in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Sahin Civaci said, "I did want to be coming off the pace. There were a few speed horses here and I thought that's the only chance we have. Staying mid-pack, he won't fire as well as he would. That was the plan and it worked out." Right: Palazzi gets hosed off after the race. Left: Palazzi in the walking ring before the race. Civaci added, "Usually, he's really calm in post parade, but today he was more active and bouncing around here and there. I've been working him this season throughout, and he's been working great." Right: Palazzi heads back to the barn. Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Tyson returns after the race. The Josie Carroll trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 9 starts, earning $377,451 for owner-breeders Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Stretch Run Ventures. Right: Third place finisher Paramount Prince in the walking ring. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 10 starts, earning $670,856 for owners Michael Langlois and Gary Barber. The horses break from the gate for the Eclipse Stakes. Play the Music wins the Royal North Stakes (G3) The $135,000 HPIbet Royal North Stakes (G3) is for older fillies and mares sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf course. Play the Music was sent off as the 2-1 favorite off her win in the Whimsical Stakes (G3). In to challenge her included 9-4 second choice Secret Money, a close second in the Unbridled Sidney (G3) at Churchill Downs, and 7-1 third choice Miss Speedy, 8th in the Unbridled Sidney. Jockey Sahin Civaci sent Miss Speedy to the lead through fractions of 22.99 and 45.75 while pressed by 11-1 Howboutdemapples and stalked by Play the Music and Secret Money. In the stretch, Play the Music took over and drew off through the final furlong to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Secret Money in 1;14.85. It was another 1/2 length back to Miss Speedy third. Jockey Juan Crawford on 7th place finisher Blind Spot claimed foul against Kazushi Kimura on Secret Money for interference at the 1/4 pole. The stewards disqualified Secret Money and placed her in 7th, moving Miss Speedy up to second and fourth place cinisher Dolce Sopresa to third. Results Chart Left: Play the Music in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Patrick Husbands said, "She broke smart and she relaxed. I mean, I was just a passenger. As we swung for home, I was just trying to figure out if Sahin (Civaci aboard Miss Speedy) was going to come in or go out. I just gave him about four or five strides and he stayed straight, so I took the shortest way home." Right: Play the Music heads back to the barn after the race. Left: Play the Music heads to the track before the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 6 wins, 1 second, and 3 thirds in 13 starts, earning $401,037 for owner Glassman Racing. Right: Play the Music heads to the winner's circle. Left: Second place finisher (moved up from third) Miss Speedy heads to the track before the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 6 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 16 starts, earning $357,255 for owner Gary Barber. Right: Third place finisher (moved up from fourth) Dolce Sopresa in the post parade. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds in 13 starts, earning $219,012 for owner Di Scola Boys Stable. Second place finisher Secret Money who was disqualified to seventh place returns after the race. The Brendan Walsh trainee has a record of 3 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 12 starts, earning $843,220 for owners Emcee Stable, Fortune Farm, and Robert Hahn. Flag of Honour wins the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) Kicking off the stakes quartet was the $135,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs on Tapeta. Kennedy Road (G2) winner and Thorncliffe Stakes runner-up Flag of Honour was sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the the field of 7 over 2-1 second choice Step Forward, making his stakes debut off an allowance win, and 3-1 third choice Candy Overload, winner of the Big Daddy Stakes at Turfway and the Thorncliffe at Woodbine. Jockey Kazushi Kimura sent Flag of Honour to the lead exiting the chute through fractions of 23.37 and 45.90 while pressed by Step Forward and stalked by 39-1 longest shot Mason's Gamble. Into the stretch Flag of Honour continued to lead through 5f in 57.49, and pulled away late to win by 1 1/4 lengths over late-running 11-1 Old Chestnut in 1:09.79. It was another 3/4 length back to deep closing 17-2 Ironstone third. Results Chart Left: Flag of Honour in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Kazushi Kimura said, "When I broke well, everybody looked at each other. He's always nice and easy to control. He was nice and steady and then kicked in strong. When I asked him to go, he exploded. I hope he's going to win a couple more." Right: Flag of Honour gets hosed off after the race. Left: Flag of Honour heads out to the track before the race. Winning trainer Julia Carey said, "I knew I went in (the Thorncliffe) a little short, but I wanted to get a race into him, because I had missed a work," Carey recalled. "So, it worked out great. It didn't rattle him and it gave him that extra fitness." Right: Flag of Honour heads to the winner's circle. Carey added, "I think he's maybe ever better on the turf. He's pretty good on the synthetic, too. That's nice to know. He's a very nice horse. I'm so blessed to have gotten him." Left: Second place finisher Old Chestnut heads out to the track before the race. The Martin Drexler trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 4 seconds, and 6 thirds in 33 starts, earning $299,396 for owner Bruno Schickedanz. Right: Third place finisher Ironstone returns after the race. The Willie Armata trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 4 seconds, and 6 thirds in 20 starts, earning $538,351 for owners Tequesta Racing Inc. and Jupiter Leasing Co. Fashionably Fab wins the Belle Mahone Stakes (G3) The $135,000 Belle Mahone Stakes (G3) featured a field of 8 older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta main track. Millie Girl was sent off as the 2-1 favorite, making her 2024 debut after winning the Maple Leaf Stakes (G3) and finishing 2023 with a 7th place finish in the Valedictory (G3). In to challenge her included 5-2 second choice Forever Dixie off an allowance win after finishing 6th in the Ontario Derby (G3) in October, and 9-2 third choice Solo Album, 10th in an allowance after finishing second in the Maple Leaf. Jockey Sahin Civaci sent Solo Album to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.79, 48.79, and 1:12.69 while pressed by 11-2 fourth choice Metaphysical and stalked by 7-1 fifth choice Fashionably Fab. Turning for home, jockey Pietro Moran sent Fashionably Fab to lead through 1 mile in 1:37.20, and held off Solo Album the rest of the way to win by a neck in 1:43.73. It was a long 4 lengths back to late-running Forever Dixie third, while favorite Millie Girl failed to challenge and finished 5th beaten 6 lengths. Results Chart Left: Fashionably Fab in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Kevin Attard said, "Obviously, she's a nice filly. I wouldn't say it's a surprise because she's worked really well, but it was a big step up in company for her, leaving Ontario-sired horses and going to Grade 3 company. Fortunately for us, Pietro gave her a dream of a ride." Right: Fashionably Fab gets hosed off after the race. Winning jockey and apprentice (but riding without the allowance) Pietro Moran, celebrating his first stakes win, said, "The trip was perfect, but first of all I want to thank the owners and Kevin especially, everyone who has helped me along the way. She's a special filly. I've been on her, I've worked her since before she ever ran her first race, I've worked her from the gate." Left: Fashionably Fab heads out to the track before the race. Moran added, "We always knew she was special and I'm thankful to the owners and Kevin for giving me this opportunity. I had a good horse under me." He is the son of journeyman rider David Moran. Right: Fashionably Fab heads to the winner's circle. Attard added, "Pietro's worked for us for a few years now and not only is he a great jockey, but a better human being. I love this kid and he's going to be a great rider. I'm just so happy that he was part of this today. He's breezed this filly on numerous occasions, and he just gave her a masterful ride. I'm just so happy for him." Left: Second place finisher Solo Album returns after the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 5 seconds, and 1 third in 13 starts, earning $198,438 for owners Gary Barber, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Steven Rocco. Right: Third place finisher Forever Dixie heads out to the track before the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 13 starts, earning $213,667 for owner-breeder John Oxley. Left: Fifth place finisher and beaten favorite Millie Girl returns after the race. The Catherine Day-Phillips trainee has a record of 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 12 starts, earning $365,273 for owners Kingfield Racing Stable, Braconcrest Inc., and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds. Right: The horses break from the gate for the Belle Mahone Stakes. Back to Horse-Races.Net main page Search Horse-Races.Net: ©1994-2024,  Cindy Pierson Dulay   Privacy Policy   About Us   Search   Site Map   Add a Link   Advertise   Suggest to a friend   RSS Feed   Follow on Twitter