Il Malocchio, rallying strongly on the outside, was up in the shadow of the wire for a head victory in Sunday's $150,000 Trillium Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.
Angelou outdueled the 3-2 favorite Souper Hoity Toity by a neck for second, but her number taken down after the stewards ruled she had interfered with that rival during the stretch run and she was placed third.
The Trillium, a 1 1/16-mile main track race for fillies and mares, went with a field of eight.
Il Malocchio, trained by Marty Drexler, returned $18 for her victory under the red-hot Sahin Civaci.
“We had her down in the U.S. (Palm Meadows Training Center) for the winter to get her started,” said Drexler. “We started her in Kentucky (Turfway Park on March 25).
“Off Lasix, it wasn't the best for her, and she was a little bit flat that day and then we came back here. Last time (Grade 3 Belle Mahone, on June 3), she caught in a pace [battle] on the front and she doesn't like that, so this is much better.”
Super Hoity Toity rallied strongly up the rail to just miss while Angelou was dead game after turning back several challenges.
Kate's Kingdom, invading from Kentucky, was prominent throughout and launched a menacing move around the far turn but weakened slightly to finish fourth, another three lengths back as the second choice.
Valentina Day, Saratoga Vision, Batyah, and Sister Seagull completed the order of finish.
Inventing was scratched.
The final time was 1:44.14 off Angelou's slow early fractions of :25.62, :50.06, and 1:13.50.
Il Malocchio was winning for the fifth time in 23 career starts with all of her victories coming in stakes races at Woodbine, including last fall's Maple Leaf (G3). The 5-year-old daughter of Souper Speedy out of Egbert Bay, by Sligo Bay, is a homebred campaigned by Franco Meli.
The post Il Malocchio Scores Narrow Victory In Trillium Thriller At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
