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Ademar Santos celebrates aboard Ironstone after winning the Simcoe Stakes |
On Sunday, Woodbine hosted its annual Yearling Sales Stakes day, stakes racess restricted to Canadian-breds who went through Woodbine's sales ring as yearlings. However unlike in past years the number of stakes offered was reduced to just 4, two for the juveniles and two for the 3-year-old divisions, all contested as Tapeta main track sprints. Conditions were tropical in Southern Ontario, with partly cloudy skies and a race time temperature of 31 C (88 F), feeling like 41 C (106 F) with the humidity, and with almost no wind. The 2021 Woodbine Yearling Sales take place this Wednesday, September 1 in the Woodbine sales pavilion.
Ironstone wins the Simcoe Stakes |
Left: Ironstone in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Willie Armata said, "It feels unbelievable. It's been a long time (since visiting the infield winner's circle). I remember telling Jason (Portuondo, Woodbine TV host), 'So far in my career this is one of the best horses I've ever trained' and he showed that today." Jockey Ademar Santos said, "We put a lot of work into the horse. I knew the track wasn't playing to speed, but when I looked on the lead nobody wanted to go and so turning for home I had a ton of horse. He's just amazing."
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Chairman Bob returns to be unsaddled. The Kevin Attard trainee improved his record to 1 win and 1 third in 2 starts, earning $46,592 for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.
Lorena wins the Algoma Stakes |
Winning jockey Gary Boulanger said, "She got a little rubbery, she didn't switch leads today, but she was running and I wasn't too concerned about it and felt like she was still underneath me and even the gallop out was still there. She's a pretty gutsy filly, she gives you everything she has." Co-owner and trainer Stuart Simon added, "She's just a plain, nice filly and we had a lot of reservations about running in the Oaks and it's the same old thing hindsight always easy. It was a very condensed schedule, she wasn't a real seasoned horse and hindsight is always easy, but we made the right decision to cut back today. She will win going two turns, but it'll be later on."
Secret Reserve wins the Elgin Stakes |
Winning trainer Mike Mattine said, "Last year he was really on the muscle and showed a lot of speed. So, this year, I decided to take the blinkers off and bring him along slowly and in his morning works he would always start off slow and finish up really good and gallop out strong. His last two races have been almost a replica." Jockey Rafael Hernandez added, "He was perfect. Mike told me, 'Rafi, just try to follow a horse get him relaxed' and we got two good horses to make the pace for us and then he just come running. He was working good. That last work (bullet 5f in 59.00 on August 22), he was unbelievable, he felt super great and that's why we were thinking to go to the seven-eighths."
Baksheesh wins the Muskoka Stakes |
Winning trainer Ralph Biamonte said, "I got quite excited after the last race when you get somebody like Mark Casse or (new owner) Aron Wellman from Eclipse (Thoroughbred Partners) calling me that we're interested in your horse. It's kind of nerve-wracking when you train a horse for them, but it was good and now tomorrow she can go and live with them. She's really nice. She's good, we never expected her to be that good and she'll get better. She does everything right and I'm going to have a good time watching her now." Jockey Kazushi Kimura said, "She didn't have speed at the beginning that's why I was very focused that if I have a chance to get out that's it and I did. That was a pretty smooth trip. When I was at the three-eighths I was like 'She's going to win for sure', and she did."
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