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Closing Day at Del Mar Japan Cup & Cattleya P. Elizabeth & Coronation Desi Arnaz Stakes Kennedy Road Stakes |
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 Patches O'Houlihan in the walking ring before the Highlander Stakes. |
There were five graded stakes at Woodbine on Saturday, billed as the Canada Day Racing Festival, headlined by the $200,000 bet365 Highlander Stakes (G2) for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs on the main E.P. Taylor turf course. Conditions were typical for late June in Southern Ontario, with partly cloudy skies and a daytime high of 26 C (79 F), with fields facing headwinds of 48 km/h (30 MPH) through the stretch. After an extended heat wave and dry spell, overnight rains softened the turf courses to "good-to-firm" (GoingStick reading 10.5).
After 2 scratches, a field of 6 went to post with 2024 Canadian Horse of the Year Patches O'Houlihan sent off as the 4-5 favorite off his 4 length romp in the Thorncliffe Stakes on May 4 (but was scratched out of the Jacques Cartier (G3) due to a fever on May 31). In to challenge him included 9-4 second choice My Boy Prince, second in the Jaipur (G1) at Saratoga last out, and 13-2 third choice Playmea Tune, unraced since winning the Forego Stakes at Turfway on February 1.
 Patches O'Houlihan rallies down the center in the stretch. |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Patches O'Houlihan Vives 6.30 3.50 2.80 1 My Boy Prince Civaci 5.20 3.70 8 Dresden Row Munger 8.00 Winning Time: 1:08.39 $1 Exacta 5-1 14.80 $2 Trifecta 5-1-8 298.80 $2 Superfecta 5-1-8-2 1,145.00Results chart |
Left: Patches O'Houlihan in the paddock. The Bob Tiller trainee retired with a record of 13 wins, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 16 starts, earning $853,848. Due to the injury, there was no winner's circle ceremony. Sadly, on July 10, owner-breeder Frank Di Giulio Jr. announced that Patches O'Houlihan was humanely euthanized. He said, "After sustaining a soft tissue injury while galloping out after winning the Highlander Stakes, it was hoped that he would recover well enough to be retired to pasture. However, in the time since then, his prognosis worsened. We consulted with veterinarians and surgeons on an ongoing basis and it was determined surgery was not a viable option for a sustained quality of life."
Right: Patches O'Houlihan in the post parade. Di Guilio added, "We are going to dearly miss watching him run, as will his many fans. He gave us so much pleasure and so many thrills during his career. Patches O'Houlihan was an amazing animal that was beautiful both inside and out. He absolutely loved to race and possessed outstanding heart and desire, and was as honest as they come. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Patches, but we are truly blessed and grateful to be part of such a true Champion." Trainer Bob Tiller said, "It's a great loss. Other than Pink Lloyd, he had the biggest heart of any horse I've ever trained. He loved running, loved to win, and wouldn't stop. I think he proved that many times. I've never seen a horse make those silly moves on the turf course and still win, but he did it last fall and came out of that race perfect. In the end, we decided to run him (in the Highlander)."
Left: Second place finisher My Boy Prince returns after the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 7 wins, 5 seconds, and 1 third in 17 starts, earning $992,127 for owner Gary Barber.
Right: Third place finisher Dresden Row in the paddock. The Lorne Richards trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds in 11 starts, earning $330,558 for owners True North Stable and Jeffrey Bloom.
 Mansetti wins the Marine Stakes (G3) |
13-1 War Signal was quickest away through easy fractions of 24.05, 48.85, and 1:13.10 while pressed by Mansetti and stalked by Megalodon. Turning for home War Signal tired allowing Mansetti to inherit the lead through 1 mile in 1:38.01. Kept to task by Pietro Moran, Mansetti held off late-running Scorching to win by a length in 1:45.00. It was another 1/2 length back to favorite Megalodon third.
Left: Mansetti in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Pietro Moran said, "It's a different test for today. You know, to be honest, I was a bit worried. I don't know if he would get the distance. He's always trained like a great horse. He really picked it up, he jumped right out and showed me that he's going to grind the rest of the way and down the lane – it's just a matter of getting him there. He's just all heart."
Right: Mansetti gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Kevin Attard said, "He's earned his way into (the Plate) now off of this win. So, it's nice to see today kind of come together and take that next step. He's really mentally matured a lot, and he's always shown a lot of talent. Just been kind of one good race, one bad race. Unfortunately, last time, he lost all chance at the break. So, I think you can just draw a line through it. And today, the race unfolded really well. Pietro sat a great trip, gave him a good ride, and we were lucky to hang on."
Left: Second place finisher Scorching in the paddock. The John Charalambous trainee improved his record to 2 wins and 2 seconds in 4 starts, earning $237,191 for owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch.
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Megalodon in the walking ring. The Josie Carroll trainee improved his record to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 7 starts, earning $161,595 for owner Pin Oak Stud.
The horses break from the gate for the Marine Stakes.
 Serendipity wins the Selene Stakes (G3) |
Jockey Rafael Hernandez sent Serendipity to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.93, 50.29, and 1:14.46 while pressed by 16-1 Nata Trouble and stalked by No Time. Into the lane Serendipity opened up a 3 1/2 length lead through 1 mile in 1:38.70, and cruised to a 2 1/2 length win over late-running 7-1 Tiz Her Money in 1:45.22. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Somethinabouther third, and 1 3/4 more to favorite No Time fourth.
Left: Serendipity in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Josie Carroll said, "I think she's an exceptionally nice filly. I know her connections all thought the same. It was their opinion she would take to the synthetic and they were spot on. She's come up here and done nothing but train well." She is not eligible for the Woodbine Oaks nor the Canadian Triple Crown.
Right: Serendipity gets hosed off after the race. Winning owner Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods said, "She's a filly who always showed a lot of ability. She is a beautiful mover. We thought she'd take to the Tapeta, and she sure did. As usual, Josie has done an incredible job with our horses, especially with the ones who come to her barn with a few races under their belt. She understands them quickly. We are excited for her future at Woodbine."
Left: Second place finisher Tiz Her Money returns after the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 0 thirds in 8 starts, earning $104,620 for owner Peter Deutsch.
Right: Third place finisher Somethinabouther in the paddock. The Brendan Walsh trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 1 second, and 3 thirds in 9 starts, earning $166,524 for owners X-Men Racing IV, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.
Left: Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite No Time in the paddock before the race. The Mark Casse trainee has a record of 2 wins, 0 seconds, and 1 third in 7 starts, earning $105,473 for owner Gary Barber.
Right: The horses break from the gate for the Selene Stakes.
 Funtastic Again wins the Dominion Day Stakes (G3) |
Jockey Victor Espinoza sent Funtastic Again to the lead first time by and he set fractions of 24.05, 48.53, and 1:12.67 while pressed by Essex Serpent and stalked by 13-2 fourth choice Bail Us Out. Turning for home Funtastic Again opened up a 2 1/2 length lead througjh 1 mile in 1:36.69, and held off late-running 10-1 Stanley House to win by 3/4 length in 1:49.28. It was a long 4 lengths back to Bail Us Out third, and a neck more to favorite Essex Serpent fourth.
Left: Funtastic Again in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Victor Espinoza said, "Just win the race. Basically, (trainer Wesley Ward) said he prefers to go to the front, but he can rate a little bit in behind, too. He ran an amazing race. I was just cruising with him. I was just attached to his back and that's all I had to do."
Right: Funtastic Again gets hosed off after the race. Espinoza added, "He's a very kind horse. He was full of energy."
Left: Second place Stanley House in the paddock. The Mike De Paulo trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 7 seconds, and 3 thirds in 21 starts, earning $380,236 for owners John and Diana Russell.
Right: Third place finisher Bail Us Out returns after the race. The Kevin Attard trainee improved his record to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 8 starts, earning $122,338 for owner Repole Stable.
Left: Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Essex Serpent in the paddock. The Mark Casse trainee has a record of 3 wins, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 7 starts, earning $185,951 for owner-breeders Manfred and Penny Conrad.
Right: The start of the Dominion Day Stakes.
 Ocean Club wins the Nassau Stakes (G2) |
Jockey Sofia Vives sent 13-1 Ocean Club to the lead out of the gate through fractions of 23.22, 46.00, and 1:09.16 while pressed by Sweet Rebecca and stalked by Caitlinhergrtness. Turning for home Caitlinhergrtness and Sweet Rebecca tired as Ocean Club opened up a 2 length lead through 7f in 1:20.93. Kept to task by Vives, Ocean Club held off late-running 20-1 Ready for Shirl to win by 3/4 length in 1:33.62. It was a head back to late-running 61-1 longest shot Blueberry Fields third, while favorite Caitlinhergrtness checked in 8th beaten 3 3/4 lengths.
Left: Ocean Club in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Sofia Vives said, "We ran a good fourth last year (in the Trillium Stakes) I think we were beaten only a length. Today, I thought, 'Put her where she is going to be comfortable.' The turf was playing pretty speed-favoring. She broke sharp, and she was up there with her ears forward and very comfortable. She ran home and she was pretty game."
Right: Ocean Club heads back to the barn. Vives added, "She did her job. She knew what do. She came here fresh, and the team had her ready. Hopefully, we see some more of her."
Left: Second place finisher Ready for Shirl in the paddock. The Roger Attfield trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 11 starts, earning $192,576 for owner-breeder Charles Fipke.
Right: Third place finisher Blueberry Fields returns after the race. She improved her record to 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 4 thirds in 15 starts, earning $248,272 for owner-trainer Brandon Greer.
Eighth place finisher and beaten favorite Caitlinhergrtness in the paddock. The Kevin Attard trainee has a record of 4 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 11 starts, earning $773,949 for owner WinStar Farm.
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