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Woodbine Oaks Day San Diego Hcp Day Highlander Stakes Day North America Cup Belmont Stakes Day |
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 John Velazquez celebrates aboard Luster after winning his second Woodbine Oaks in a row.
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On Sunday at Woodbine, the two major local preps for the King's Plate Stakes, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, were contested over the Tapeta main track. Conditions were typical for late July in Toronto with sunny skies and a daytime high temperature of 24.7 C (76.5 F), with the inner turf course officially rated as "good" despite a GoingStick reading of 10.9 which is in the "firm" range. The outer E.P. Taylor course is scheduled to re-open on August 8 after renovations that began last August.
The highlight race of the afternoon was the 71st running of the $750,000 Stella Artois Woodbine Oaks, featuring top Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles, kicking off the Triple Tiara series. A field of just 7 made final entry with Selene Stakes (G3) winner Luster sent off as the 7-10 favorite. In to challenge her included 9-4 second choice Piper's Gift, winner of the Fury Stakes, and 7-1 third choice Dixie Law, 3rd in the Selene after winning the Ruling Angel Stakes.
 Down the stretch with Luster drawing clear under John Velazquez. |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 7 Luster Velazquez 3.40 2.20 2.10 2 Dixie Law Moran 4.60 3.20 6 Bold Time Aebly 4.70 Winning Time: 1:50.99 $1 Exacta 7-2 6.15 $0.20 Trifecta 7-2-6 5.79 $0.20 Superfecta 7-2-6-3 11.17 |
Left: Luster in the winner's circle. Winning jockey John Velazquez, celebrating his second Woodbine Oaks win, said, "It was pretty simple, really. We had a good position on the outside. I let the horses come to her and let her do her thing. She made it look very easy. She's really sure what she's doing."
Right: The winning connections with their trophy, flowers, and bottle of Johnnie Walker.
Left: Luster in the walking ring. Winning trainer Josie Carroll (right) said, "Tremendously exciting horse. I had some questions until today, but she certainly looks like she'll get her route of ground. She seems to be moving forward all the time."
Right: Luster in the post parade.
Left: Luster stalking the pace in third place first time by. Velazquez added, "She made it look very easy. She's really sure what she's doing."
Right: Luster gets hosed off by trainer Josie Carroll on her way back to the barn
Left: Second place finisher Dixie Law returns after the race. The Dale Desruisseaux trainee improved her record to 4 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 8 starts, earning $410,739 for owner Hillsbrook Farms.
Right: Third place finisher Bold Time in the walking ring. The Josie Carroll trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 0 seconds, and 1 third in 7 starts, earning $148,618 for owner-breeder Chiefswood Stables.
The fillies break from the gate for the Woodbine Oaks.
Immediately before the Oaks, a field of 11 Canadian-foaled three-year-old males (after 1 gate scratch) also went 1 1/8 miles in the $200,000 Plate Trial Stakes, the major local prep for the King's Plate to be run in 27 days time. King Corrie Stakes winner and Marine Stakes (G3) third place finisher Casson was sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 3-1 second choice Military Time, 2nd in the Queenston Stakes, and 4-1 third choice Highwaytothemoon, winner of the Queenston.
Jockey Sahin Civaci sent Casson to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.33, 47.84, and 1:12.32 while pressed by 13-2 fourth choice Powell River and stalked by Highwaytothemoon and 20-1 Fire and Wine. Into the lane Casson tired as Highwaytothemoon gained the lead through 1 mile in 1:38.59. Kept to task by Rafael Hernandez, Highwaytothemoon held off late-running 28-1 Imyourmedicineman to win by a length in 1:52.17. It was another 2 lengths back to Military Time third, and 1 more to favorite Casson fourth.
Results Chart
Left: Highwaytothemoon in the winner's circle. Winning Rafael Hernandez said, "Last couple of works, Dale said he's gonna run good, so I know he's been working good and it show up today. He showed me a big heart, he don't give up. He was on the bridle when I asked him to go, he was there already. When I put him in gear, he gave me everything he had."
Right: Highwaytothemoon gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Dale Desruisseaux said, "He's done everything we've asked. His mind is so good. You could see him. He wasn't washed out at all. He was cool and calm and he showed that in the race. He went from 5/8, now 1 1/8, great!"
Left: Second place finisher Imyourmedicineman heads back to the barn. The Harold Ladouceur trainee improved his record to 1 win, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 7 starts, earning $85,873 for owners Oh Em Gee Stable and Ad Noir LLC.
Right: Third place finisher Military Time in the walking ring. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 6 starts, earning $151,597 for owners Gary Barber and St. Elias Stable.
Left: Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Casson in the walking ring. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 9 starts, earning $243,495 for owners Manfred and Penny Conrad.
Right: The start of the Plate Trial Stakes.
Kicking off the Sunday stakes quartet was the $240,000 Nassau Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares going 1 mile on the inner turf. Orchid Stakes (G3) winner Sultana was sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of 6 over 2-1 second choice Vina Arana, 3rd in the Mint Julep (G3), and 9-2 third choice Fiery Lucy, unraced since finishing 10th in the Cooley Stakes at Dundalk in Ireland in November.
Jockey John Velazquez sent 11-1 Quadruple to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.82, 46.55, and 1:10.45 while pressed by 13-1 Equitas and stalked by 11- Bessie Abott. Into the lane Quadruple tired as Vina Arana swept to the lead through 7f in 1:22.77. Kept to task by Adam Beschizza, Vina Arana drew off to win by 4 lengths over Equitas in 1:35.40. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to favorite Sultana third.
Results Chart
Left: Vina Arana in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Adam Beschizza said, "The turns are a little tight and she handled it just fine. I'd like to see what she can do maybe in a couple of months time on the [E.P. Taylor turf course]. I think that would be more in her favor."
Right: Vina Arana gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Jack Sisterson said, "You see an impressive performance this afternoon, which we thought she was well capable of. We always thought she had a performance like this in her, and Adam rode a great race."
Left: Second place finisher Equitas in the walking ring. The Kevin Attard trainee improved her record to 4 wins, 1 second, and 2 thirds in 7 starts, earning $253,639 for owners Lou Donato, Theodore Manziaris, Paul Borrelli, and Lanni Bloodstock.
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Sultana returns after the race. The Chad Brown trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 1 second, and 5 thirds in 11 starts, earning $192,923 for owners Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Jim Cone, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Team Hanley, and Cambron Equine.
The start of the Nassau Stakes.
Closing out the stakes quartet, the $240,000 bet365 Connaught Cup (G2) featured a field of 8 older horses sprinting 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf in an early prep for the Woodbine Mile. Eclipse Stakes (G2) winner Maycocks Bay was sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 11-4 second choice Piper's Factor off back to back allowance wins, and 4-1 third choice Irish Aces off a 6th place finish in an allowance at Churchill Downs.
Jockey Sofia Vives sent Maycocks Bay to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.46, 46.20, and 1:09.76 while pressed by 31-1 longest shot G T Five Hundred and stalked by Piper's Factor. In the stretch Maycocks Bay tired as G T Five Hundred held off late-running Irish Aces to win by 1/2 a length in 1:28.64. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Maycocks Bay third. Jockey Fraser Aebly aboard fourth place finisher Piper's Factor claimed foul against Jose Campos aboard G T Five Hundred for interference at the 3/16 pole but the claim was disallowed by the stewards and the result stood.
Results Chart
Left: G T Five Hundred in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Jose Campos said, "All they told me about the race is just try to stay behind the behind the speed. I never fought with the horse. I put it in a good position when I was asking to run my horse. He gave me everything he had on the line."
Right: G T Five Hundred heads gets hosed off after the race. Winning trainer Dale Desruisseaux said, "I just took the blinkers off him today. He's worn blinkers every race of his life. I didn't know if it was going to be a mistake or not, but I mean, it worked out. So, you know, I just wanted to get him a little relaxed. We learned a lot about him the second start that he doesn't want to be rated, and I think the longer distance allows him to just to be freewheeling and you know use what his attributes are."
Left: Second place finisher Irish Aces returns after the race. The Brendan Walsh trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds in 17 starts, earning $637,586 for owner Pocket Aces Racing.
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Maycocks Bay in the walking ring. The Mike Stidham trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 13 starts, earning $294,653 for owner-breeder Godolphin.
The start of the Connaught Cup.
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