Month: July 2023

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has owned the Selene in recent years, with victories in the last five runnings among his total of eight scores of the open 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

That streak was expected to continue in Saturday's renewal of Woodbine's Grade 3 test but Wonder Wheel, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) en route to divisional Eclipse Award honors and the 3-5 choice in the field of nine, spun her tires while her unheralded stablemate Solo Album romped to a 6¼-length score.

Solo Album had led throughout when winning her maiden in her sixth career start and local 2023 debut over 1 1/16 miles May 12 at Woodbine.

Those tactics were changed in the Selene as Sahin Civaci, riding Solo Album for the first time, took the Kentucky-bred Curlin filly off the pace after she broke from the outside in the field of nine.

“Before, in the paddock, Mr. Casse called and told me not to go to the front, there's going to be some speed up there, lay up close though, so that's what we did.

“I saw Wonder Wheel getting boxed in a bit, but he (jockey, Patrick Husbands) managed to get out and I was sitting there outside of him, I was waiting for him to move. When I saw he wasn't having much horse, I did make that move just to save up ground and not get caught out wide. While she was in the momentum, I just kept her with her momentum and she finished up really strong.”

Honor D Lady, one of three invaders trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., along with Be My Sunshine and Blind Spot, rallied from last and could not seriously threaten the winner but outfinished Tito's Calling for second money.

Tito's Calling, sent off at 45-1, was a half-length back in third as one of four Woodbine Oaks nominees in the field along with Fortyfiveseventy (fourth), Dolce Sopresa (fifth) and Speed Trap (ninth).

Be My Sunshine had led through fractions of :23.72, :47.14, and 1:11.20 pressed by Dolce Sopresa and Speed Trap, before weakening to finish sixth. Blind Spot also tired to finish seventh with Wonder Wheel ending next to last. Friends for Life was scratched.

The final time was 1:42.65.

The Selene is the final local stepping-stone for the Woodbine Oaks, a $500,000 race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, which will be run on July 23.

A $535,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase in 2021, Solo Album races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber and Steven Rocco. The win in the Selene seriously enhances the value of the filly, who is out of the Arch mare Summer Solo. She was bred by Payson Stud Inc.

Solo Album paid $21.10 for the win.

The post Casse Captures Sixth Straight Selene As Solo Album Romps appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Madaket Stables and Bill Strauss' Sopran Basilea notched her first North American victory in the $250,300 Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3) Saturday at Delaware Park, where her trainer, H. Graham Motion, won the event for fillies and mares for the ninth time.

With Jorge Ruiz aboard, the 5-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder won by a neck over Ever Summer. It was a half-length farther back to Parnac in third.

Sopran Basilea finished the 1 3/8 miles in 2:20.27 on turf rated as soft.

Previously, Sopran Basilea finished second in the Gallorette (G3) at Pimlico in her North American debut on May 20. In 2021 and 2022, the Irish-bred compiled a record of five wins, five seconds and a third from 15 starts, including two victories and three seconds in Group 2 and 3 races mostly at distances going 1 1/4 miles or longer in Italy.

“Jorge gave her a beautiful ride,” said winning trainer H. Graham Motion. “I honestly did not know she was this good, but off of her European form, she looked like she was. She ran beautiful. She tries hard, she is genuine and very honest. She ran super and she could not have done much better than that.”

Motion is not sure about her next start.

“I really have not thought much beyond this race,” Motion said. “Obviously, there is the Glenn Falls at Saratoga, which would fit, but we will see.”

Since the Robert G. Dick Memorial was inaugurated in 1997, Motion has won the race with Guilty Twelve (2017), Real Smart (2016), Caprice (2009), Rosinka (2007), Alternate (2003, 2004), New Economy (2002), and Bursting Forth (1999).

“This has been a really lucky race for us,” Motion said. “I feel very lucky, but it is not a complete surprise for us because we do train a lot of distance fillies, but we are so lucky. We have a great history with Delaware, so this is very special.”

Sopran Basilea returned $9.00 as the third choice in the field of seven and she covered the mile and three-eighths in 2:20.27 over a soft turf course. She raised her record to six wins from 17 starts with earnings of $512,145.

Sopran Basilea was bred by Adam Sexton from the King's Best mare Kathy Best. She sold for $317,225 at the 2022 Arqana December breeding stock sale in France.

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