Merveilleux Enters Sovereign Award Discussion After Ontario Damsel Victory

Following up her three-length Wonder Where win, Merveilleux turned in another dazzling performance in the $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

With Rafael Hernandez aboard, the Kevin Attard trainee stalked the dueling front-runners before launching her winning bid three-wide in the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile main track stakes event.

Avie's Samurai left sharply and darted to the lead with Justleaveitalone joining her on top to trade blows through fractions of :24.91, :48.68 and 1:26.61. Reigning divisional champion and Woodbine Oaks winner Curlin's Voyage attempted to circle the pacemakers approaching three-quarters, but the even-money favorite posed no threat down the lane.

At the top of the stretch, Merveilleux exploded with late pace and drew off by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:44.37, with Avie's Samurai staying for second over the late-rallying Afleet Katherine, also trained by Attard. Ann of Cleves, Curlin's Voyage and Justleaveitalone completed the order of finish.

“I just wanted to make sure to get the right move, at the right time,” said Hernandez. “I didn't want to get it too early and then flatten out in the lane, but everything worked good in the whole race. We sat behind the speed horse, relaxed good and everything worked perfect today.”

Bred by Mike Carroll, the daughter of Paynter out of Breech Inlet now boasts three wins and third (in the Woodbine Oaks) from five sophomore starts for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling. The consistent filly has hit the board in eight of her 11 races lifetime.

“She was kind of misfortunate earlier in the year to have some rough trips and some bad racing luck, but she's really put it together lately and I'm just happy to see it for the owners,” said Attard, via a video call after watching the race from home.

Merveilleux's late-season stakes success puts her in the conversation for divisional Sovereign Award honors.

“The championship is not based on one or two months of the year, it's over the season, and she's obviously gotten better as the season's gone on and she's at the top of the division right now,” noted Attard. “We're just happy that she's progressed like we wanted her to and hopefully she turns out to be a nice 4-year-old.”

Merveilleux paid $6.10 to win as the 2-1 second choice. 

Live Thoroughbred racing continues at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, Nov. 22, featuring the $125,000 Grey and matching Mazarine, a pair of Grade 3 stakes for two-year-olds.

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Unbeaten Trio Head Grey

An undefeated Mark Casse pair and a well-bet first-out winner from the Kevin Attard barn headline a nine-horse renewal of the GIII Grey S. Sunday at Woodbine.

D J Stable’s Helium (Ironicus) debuted an impressive 3 1/4-length victor going seven furlongs on the local Tapeta Sept. 27 and validated that try with a 4 1/4-length score as the favorite in the Display S. here Oct. 18. The other half of the Casse contingent is Breeze Easy’s Easy Time (Not This Time). Backed to 7-5 in his unveiling over seven main-track panels Oct. 25, the $250,000 OBS July buy obliged his supporters with a 2 3/4-length graduation.

Haddassah (Air Force Blue) was also a poorly-kept secret on debut in an off-the-turfer Nov. 1, sent away at a nickel below 2-1 in an 11-horse group, and rallied from seventh to prevail by a half-length over a pacesetter who was a half-dozen clear of the remainder.

Stephen (Constitution), victor of the Coronation Futurity S. here Nov. 1, and Barrister Tom (Artie Schiller), a 44-1 upsetter of the More Than Ready Juvenile S. Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs, round out the top contenders.

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Grey, Mazarine Stakes Shine Woodbine Spotlight On 2-Year-Olds

Nine 2-year-olds, including impressive first-time winner Haddassah, are set to contest Sunday's $125,000 Grey Stakes (G3), at Woodbine, on a card that also includes the $125,000 Mazarine Stakes (G3) for fillies.

Bred and owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, Haddassah, a bay son of Air Force Blue, didn't fly under the radar in his curtain-raising effort on Nov. 1.

Trained by Kevin Attard, the Ontario-bred went off as the 9-5 choice in the mile and 70-yard main track maiden special weight event, a race that was originally scheduled for the turf.

Under Justin Stein, Haddassah improved from seventh at the quarter-mile mark to second at the stretch call, going on to record a half-length score in a time of 1:42.50.

The gelding will now look to build off that smart score when he takes to the Woodbine Tapeta again on Sunday.

“The farm in Kentucky liked him as a baby, then as he got to Kevin, from day one, he has liked him,” said Al Ulwelling. “He had more leg than his brother and sister … just a taller, better-balanced horse. What stood out to us most was if he was fit enough [for his debut], and he was.”

Stein, who has 125 wins (as of Nov. 18) on the season and currently sits atop the Toronto oval jockey standings, was impressed by Haddassah's debut.

“He really showed a determination to beat his company in his first lifetime race,” praised Stein. “He ran like a true professional.”

The Ulwellings would like to see a carbon copy of that effort in Haddassah's second start.

“We are really excited to watch him Sunday,” said Al Ulwelling. “We feel he will run better with a race under his belt and just knowing he has been through the process.”

“Haddassah had trained really well heading into his first start,” noted Attard. “It was nice to see him transfer that into his debut. He was very professional and looked impressive graduating. He has come back to work well in the interim and we're hoping to see him take another step forward Sunday.”

The same connections will also send out Stephen, a 2-year-old son of Constitution.

Bred by Trackwest Racing Inc., the Ontario-bred colt broke his maiden in his most recent start, the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, on Nov. 1 at Woodbine.

After an eighth to launch his career on Aug. 30, Stephen finished second in his next start, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race on Oct. 4.

“Stephen has really taken a step forward since his career debut,” said Attard. “Going into his second start, we thought he'd run a big race and he did. He had some traffic trouble but closed really well to run second. In the Coronation, he ran a similar race, but was able to get by and win. He's a colt that has a great mental attitude and is very easy to ride. We're excited to have two nice Canadian-breds.”

Mark Casse will present the one-two punch of Helium and Easy Time in the Grey Stakes.

Owned by D J Stable LLC, Helium deflated his competition in both of his starts, including a 4 ¼-length romp in the Display Stakes on Oct. 18 at Woodbine.

Under Emma-Jayne Wilson, the son of Ironicus watched his lead balloon from one length at the stretch call to an open-length victory in a time of 1:22.62 for seven furlongs on the Woodbine main track.

Helium won his debut, also at seven furlongs on the Tapeta, by 3 ¼ lengths on Sept. 27, paying $16.10 for the win.

“Where these races [Grey and Mazarine] are situated in the calendar – especially the Grey – is going to make to this one a really good race,” said Casse. “In the past, we would run the Grey [earlier]. I don't know who else is going to go in there, but we're going to run two really good horses.”

A victory by Helium would certainly stamp him as a legitimate contender – along with Grade 1 winner and fellow Casse pupil Gretzky the Great – for Sovereign Award 2-year-old male honors.

“Helium is quite talented,” said Casse. “He's raced extremely well in both of his races.”

Casse's other trainee, Easy Time, a dark bay son of Not This Time, was exceptional in taking his debut on Oct. 25 at Woodbine.

Sent off as the slight 7-5 choice, the colt, bred by Breeze Easy LLC, converted a mid-stretch bid into a 2 ¾-length win. Easy Time covered the seven-furlong Toronto oval Tapeta test in 1:23.92.

“He was extremely impressive in his first start. He's by one of the best young freshman sires in North America. And now, we're going to run him two turns for the first time. I think Easy Time will give Helium a run for his money.”

Owner J.K.L Ross won five straight editions of the race, from 1921-25. Wando, Canada's most recent Triple Crown champion (in 2003), won the Grey in 2002. Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, took the race in 2008.

***

Casse, who has seven Mazarine titles, has two opportunities to add to that impressive total  on Sunday.

The 1 1/16-mile Mazarine, which offers Grade 3 status and a purse of $125,000, has attracted a field of seven 2-year-old fillies, including Casse charges Souper Sensational and Sleek Lynx.

Owned by Live Oak Plantation, Souper Sensational has lived up to her name over two starts, including a fantastic four-length display in the Glorious Song Stakes on Oct. 17 at Woodbine.

Sent on her way as the 3-5 choice, the chestnut daughter of Curlin widened her advantage down the lane, going on for the easy score in a time of 1:21.84 over seven furlongs on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Three weeks earlier, Souper Sensational broke her maiden at first asking as she registered a 2 ¼-length win, also at seven panels, in a time of 1:23.54, in a $126,800 maiden special weight event.

“We decided not to go to the Breeders' Cup with her,” offered Casse. “She's been very impressive so far in her couple of races. We feel like her pedigree says she should be able to stretch out. She's coming out into it well. She had a nice breeze [four furlongs in :48.80 over the Woodbine main track on November 14], but it wasn't so much what she did during the breeze, but what she did after it. She galloped out really strong. Every indication says she should get two turns. But until you try it, you don't know.”

Sleek Lynx, owned by Gary Barber, will contest her fourth lifetime race, and second stakes outing.

The dark bay daughter of War Front, who finished fifth in the Natalma (G1T) on Sept. 20, broke her maiden last time out, a 1 ¼-length victory over one mile over “good” going on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Bred in Britain by Haras Don Alberto, Sleek Lynx finished second in her debut on July 23 at Gulfstream Park, finishing a half-length behind Director's Cut in a one-mile grass race.

“She's probably a better turf horse, but we're getting near the end of the year. She has a huge pedigree and it would be nice to pick up some black type with her.”

Casse won three straight Mazarines from 2012-14. His most recent triumph came three years ago with 2018 Queen's Plate champ and Canada's 2018 Horse of the Year, Wonder Gadot. He was also victorious in 2004 and 2007 with Higher World and Officer Cherrie, respectively, as well as in 2016 with Gale Force.

The Grey Stakes is race 10 and the Mazarine is slated as race 11 on Sunday's 13-race card. First post time is 1:25 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

$125,000 GREY STAKES
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Haddassah – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard
2 – British Royalty – Patrick Husbands – Barbara Minshall
3 – Stephen – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard
4 – Lucky Score – Daisuke Fukumoto – Ralph Biamonte
5 – Barrister Tom* – Kazushi Kimura – Michael Ewing
6 – Lomaki's Gem – Jerome Lermyte – Stuart Simon
7 – Helium – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
8 – Easy Time – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
9 – Gospel Way – Emile Ramsammy – Nathan Squires

* denotes supplemented 

$125,000 MAZARINE STAKES
1 – Il Malocchio – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler
2 – Sleek Lynx – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
3 – Do You Love Me – David Moran – Michael Trombetta
4 – Batyah – Justin Stein – Graham Motion
5 – Army Wife* – Kazushi Kimura – Michael Maker
6 – Designer Ready – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Barbara Minshall
7 – Souper Sensational – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

* denotes supplemented   

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‘Emotional’ Goodbye: Starship Jubilee Retired Sound After Losing Rider In Breeders’ Cup

Two-time Grade 1 winner Starship Jubilee, a $16,000 claim in 2017, has officially been retired from racing, according to the Daily Racing Form. The 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind stumbled at the start of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Saturday at Keeneland, unseating jockey Florent Geroux, but was uninjured after being corralled by an outrider and retires sound.

Claimed in February of 2017 at Gulfstream by Tino Attard, the filly won a trio of allowance races before being transferred to Woodbine. Trained by his son, Kevin Attard, for all of her graded stakes victories, Starship Jubilee began to show her talent over the turf with a win in the 2017 G2 Nassau Stakes in May. In all she won nine graded stakes, including the 2019 G1 E. P. Taylor Stakes and the 2020 G1 Woodbine Mile.

Bred in Florida, Starship Jubilee also won three straight editions of the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Stakes at Gulfstream, from 2018 through 2020. She retires with a record of 19 wins from 38 starts, with earnings of $2,093,069.

“It was really emotional for me to say goodbye to her,” Attard told drf.com. “She obviously meant a lot to me, my family, and my career. Horses like her become part of your family. You look forward to seeing them every morning in the barn. It's going to be hard walking by her stall.”

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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