La Dragontea | Horse Racing Free Tips

Woodbine’s Ladies of The Lawn Series Primed For Exciting Finale

Woodbine's popular Ladies of the Lawn Series, which supports the charity Rethink Breast Cancer, is primed for an exciting conclusion on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Launched in 2019, Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn is a points-based bonus series that includes three outstanding turf events for fillies and mares. The owner of the horse who has accumulated the most points at the end of the three races will receive a $50,000 bonus, while the owner of the horse who accumulated the second and third most points will receive a $15,000 and $10,000 bonus, respectively.

The 2021 edition of the Ladies of the Lawn Series kicked off on Sunday, Aug. 22, with the Grade 3 Dance Smartly Stakes (won by Mutamakina), was followed by the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 18 (won by La Dragontea) and concludes with the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes on Sunday, Oct. 17. Each race is contested over the renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

As part of the Ladies of the Lawn Series, Woodbine is supporting the charity Rethink Breast Cancer. From August 22 to October 17, racing enthusiasts can bid on specially designed pillows created from new saddle towels featuring the Rethink Breast Cancer logo. Proceeds from the online auction will be donated to Rethink Breast Cancer to assist those living with breast cancer.

“Woodbine is proud to be associated with charities like Rethink Breast Cancer, who provide essential services and support to our communities,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “This initiative offers fans world-class racing and the opportunity to help Rethink Breast Cancer, while also having the chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece of racing memorabilia.”

The auction runs until the end of the Ladies of the Lawn Series on Sunday, October 17.

To view and bid on the saddle towel pillows supporting Rethink Breast Cancer, click here.

The inaugural Ladies of the Lawn series was won by Kevin Attard trainee, 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year, Starship Jubilee. In 2020, the series was won by Elizabeth Way, campaigned by Hall of Fame conditioner Roger Attfield.

2021 Ladies of the Lawn Points Standings

Horse	Dance Smartly	Canadian	E.P. Taylor	Total Points
Mutamakina	10	–		10
Court Return	3	7		10
La Dragontea(GB)	–	10		10
Merveilleux	5	3		8
Etoile(FR)	7	–		7
Barkin	–	5		5
Blame Debbie	2	–		2
Our Secret Agent	–	2		2
Alnaseem	1	–		1
Afleet Katherine	1	–		1

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Gufo Breezes In Preparation For Joe Hirsch Turf Classic At Belmont

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo breezed an easy half-mile in :52 flat over the Belmont Park inner turf Sunday in preparation for the $500,000 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 at the Elmont, N.Y., track.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the son of Declaration of War was a last-out winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational on August 28 at Saratoga, where he fended off a stretch rally from the Aidan O'Brien-trained multiple Group 1-winner Japan.

“It was an easy work on his own on the turf,” Clement said. “We'll work him back on the turf next week to be a little more aggressive. He looked good.”

Never off the board in a dozen starts, Gufo commenced his 4-year-old campaign with a second-place finish beaten a nose in the Grade 1 Man o' War before rallying from 17 lengths off the pace to finish third beaten four lengths to Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan.

Gufo, who captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last year, regained his winning form when stretching out to 1 ½ miles under regular rider Joel Rosario for the Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont where he added blinkers for the first time.

Clement said Gufo has shown improvement when adding blinkers.

“He was a bit more aggressive than usual last time, but it all worked out,” Clement said. “I think it's always a question of pace. Wherever Joel is comfortable, I'm happy usually. Blinkers on gives him a little more cruising speed. Joel never had to hit him, and the horse was a bit more consistent in the stretch. He wasn't erratic like sometimes he can be. He looked better.”

Gufo will attempt to become the fourth horse in the past decade to sweep the Sword Dancer-Joe Hirsch double, joining Channel Maker [2020], Main Sequence [2014], and Point of Entry [2012].

On Saturday, Clement saddled Soldier Rising to a runner-up finish to Yibir in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational. The son of Frankel raced along the hedge in fourth down the backstretch with a ground-saving trip and launched his bid once finding racing room in upper stretch, finishing 2 ½ lengths behind Yibir.

He was second in his previous outing in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 7 at the Spa, where he was a rallying second to Irish invader State of Rest.

“He ran really well. He looked good and came back from his race in good shape,” Clement said. “He's a very nice horse. We just have to keep him sound. We'll run him maybe once or twice more, but I'm not sure where yet. Then we should have a very nice horse for next year.”

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Clement shipped two-time allowance winner La Dragontea to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, for a victory in the Grade 2 Canadian on Saturday. The Lope de Vega dark bay or brown filly displayed stalking tactics while under a strong hold by Rosario down the backstretch. Rosario did not coax his filly until mid-stretch, where she extended her advantage to a one-length score.

La Dragontea, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen, captured her North American debut with a wire-to-wire score in a Belmont allowance at 1 ¼ miles before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del. Prior to the Canadian, she defeated optional claiming company over a yielding Mellon turf at Saratoga.

“She's a nice filly,” Clement said. “She was a bit unlucky when I ran her in the stakes at Delaware as the turf was very soft that day. She won yesterday nicely. It gives you an idea of the level of racing at Belmont when you think she was in her conditions. She is an improving kind of a filly.”

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La Dragontea Earns First Graded Stakes Win In Canadian Stakes At Woodbine

Christophe Clement's English-bred filly La Dragontea got her first graded stakes win in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Ridden by Joel Rosario, the filly broke cleanly, sat just off the front running Our Secret Agent, and took over the lead in the stretch to make her first trip to Woodbine a winning one.

At the break, Our Secret Agent was out fastest, taking the lead over La Dragontea and Merveilleux, with Court Return and Barkin running toward the back of the short field. On the backstretch, the field maintained their early positions, with Our Secret Agent a length and a half in front of La Dragontea. Around the final turn, Rosario gave his filly her cue to move.

Entering the stretch, La Dragontea pulled even with a rail-running Our Secret Agent, Merveilleux to their outside. Inside the final furlong, La Dragontea took over the lead, pulling away from the field as Court Return came on in late stretch to take over second with Barkin rallying on the outside. At the wire, La Dragontea was a length in front of Court Return and Barkin, with Merveilleux and Our Secret Agent rounding out the field.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on the firm Woodbine turf was 1:50.33. Find this race's chart here.

La Dragontea paid $4.40, $3.10, and $2.10. Court Return paid $5.50 and $2.60. Barkin paid $3.30.

Bred in England by Bartisan Racing Ltd, the 4-year-old filly is by Lope de Vega (IRE) out of the Sadler's Wells mare La Concorde (FR). She is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen. In 2021, the filly has three wins in five starts, for a lifetime record of four wins in 12 starts and career earnings of $246,882.

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