Ontario Sire Heritage Series Concludes Friday At Woodbine

A pair of main track stakes, the Lake Ontario and Ashbridges Bay, share top billing on Friday's eight-race card at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta events represent the finale of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, an eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario Sired 3-year-olds, contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.

Ontario Racing and its Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Committee unveiled the series in March. With a total purse structure of $750,000, the Heritage Series showcases a total of four races – three opening legs and one final – for both three-year-old colts and three-year-old fillies who are sustained to the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

The $100,000 Lake Ontario, carded as race seven, has attracted a field of six colts & geldings, including Secret Reserve.

Trained by Mike Mattine for owners Carlo D'Amato and Stacey Van Camp, the son of Giant Gizmo is riding a three-race win streak heading into the Lake Ontario.

After a fifth to launch his 3-year-old campaign, Secret Reserve has made three straight trips to the winner's circle, including victories in the seven-furlong main track Elgin Stakes on August 29, and most recently, a two-length score in the Lake Superior Stakes, run at seven panels over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on October 22.

“Every one of the wins was different and special,” said Mattine. “He just keeps on improving. Last year as a baby, I could tell he was a good horse, when he started breezing. He's been very good this year. When he goes out and trains, he's all business.”

Friday's engagement marks the first time Secret Reserve, bred by Dr. Brian Van Arem, will test two turns.

The dark bay arrives at the Lake Ontario in good order.

“He's in good shape,” offered Mattine. “Obviously, we'll have to see if he can get the distance. It's going to be his toughest race so far. There are plenty of good horses in here. This is definitely his toughest test. Hopefully, he can perform just like he has in his last three starts.”

Secret Reserve debuted last September at Woodbine, recording a 2 ½-length win at 7-1 in the five-furlong Tapeta race.

The gelding has won his past three starts by a combined 10 lengths.

“He's a nice horse and it helps that he's Ontario-sired because he fits that program very well. He's got good numbers, that part we know, but we'll have to see how he handles two turns. It's a tougher field, too, so we'll hope he comes up with another big effort.”

Five fillies will face-off in the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay Stakes, slated as the first race.

Multiple stakes winner Lorena, trained and co-owned by Stuart Simon, goes after her fourth career added-money title.

A five-time winner from seven starts, the daughter of Souper Speedy won the Fury Stakes in July, the Algoma Stakes in August, and the Thunder Bay Stakes on October 22.

Red Equinox, winner of the Rondeau Bay Stakes on September 14 at Fort Erie, has three victories from seven races. The daughter of Signature Red is trained by Jamie Attard.

First post time for Friday's card is 4:45 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE LAKE ONTARIO

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Secret Reserve – Rafael Hernandez – Mike Mattine

2 – Artie's Storm – David Moran – Paul Buttigieg

3 – Jelgo – Sahin Civaci – Matt Douglas

4 – Perfect Crime – Eswan Flores – Patrick Dixon

5 – Avoman – Patrick Husbands – Don MacRae

6 – Dragon's Brew – Kazushi Kimura – Robert Tiller

FIELD FOR THE ASHBRIDGES BAY

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Jolene Jolene – Justin Stein – Harold Ladouceur

2 – Jilli Marie – Steven Bahen – Katerina Vassilieva

3 – Lorena – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

4 – Practical Gizmo – Jodeien Anderson – Marjorie Paterson

5 – Red Equinox – Luis Contreras – Jamie Attard

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Forest Survivor Best In Lake Huron At Woodbine

The $80,000 Lake Huron Stakes, part of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, took place Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, with Forest Survivor taking the victory.

The five-furlong inner turf event for colts and geldings is part of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, a new eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario Sired 3-year-olds, to be contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.

Ontario Racing and its Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Committee unveiled the series in March. With a total purse structure of $750,000, the Heritage Series will feature a total of four races – three opening legs and one final – for both 3-year-old colts and 3-year-old fillies that are sustained to the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

Forest Survivor and All Canadian both shot out strongly to engage in a speed battle, dueling through a quarter-mile of :21.72. Sent off as the 1/2 favorite, Forest Survivor and Kazushi Kimura turned away All Canadian convincingly to open several lengths in the stretch, running to a 1 ¾ length victory in :57.33.

Galvaston closed in late to finish second, while Jocularity and Dragon's Brew completed the top-four.

“(Forest Survivor) is pretty quick all the time…I'm just doing one job like just send him to the front,” said Kimura, noting it was the same tactics as the colt's most recent start, a second-place effort on June 13.

A son of Old Forester, Forest Survivor has now won two of three starts this season after three of eight starts overall. The chestnut colt is trained by Norm McKnight for owner Bruno Schickedanz.

Forest Survivor paid $3.10 to win.

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Ontario Sire Heritage Series Kicks Off Saturday At Woodbine

A pair of turf stakes, the Georgian Bay, and Lake Huron, will share the spotlight on Saturday's 11-race card at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

The five-furlong inner turf events are part of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, a new eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario Sired 3-year-olds, to be contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.

Ontario Racing and its Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Committee unveiled the series in March. With a total purse structure of $750,000, the Heritage Series will feature a total of four races – three opening legs and one final – for both 3-year-old colts and 3-year-old fillies that are sustained to the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

First out of the gate on Saturday is the $80,000 Georgian Bay, which has attracted six fillies. Carded as race three, the wide-open affair includes Benny's Button.

Trainer Beverley Chubb, who co-owns the filly with breeder Shamrock Stable, had the bay well prepared for her career bow on July 3 at Woodbine.

Sent off at 19-1 in the five-furlong Tapeta race, Benny's Button grabbed the lead early and turned a 1 ½-length advantage at the stretch call into a 3 ¼-length victory in a time of :57.54.

Now, the daughter of top Canadian sire Old Forester, will step up to the stakes ranks and onto a new surface.

“I was trying to run in a non-winners of two, Ontario sired,” noted Chubb. “But the race didn't go and it got so close to that race, I figured we would give it a try. She did it with ease, I thought. We'll see what she does against tougher horses, but I don't think she's a stretch in there. She ran a very determined race. She's a serious filly – she doesn't clown around. I know she just broke her maiden, but I think she deserves a shot.”

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A multiple stakes winning conditioner, Chubb is looking for a duplicate of that curtain-raising effort from a month ago.

She likes what she's seeing from her young pupil.

“She's been training well,” said Chubb, who won the 1998 running of the George C. Hendrie, and 1999 edition of the La Voyageuse with Irish Cherry. “She broke her maiden convincingly, so I'm hoping for some good luck.”

While Chubb has come to know what to expect from her young charge on the racetrack, it's quite the opposite in the barn.

“Off the track, at home, she's a gem. Here, she can be a little bit difficult, as can all Old Forester fillies. She has the Old Forester filly streak… 'Maybe today I'm going to stand here and rear, and maybe I'm going to train.' You're just never sure. She has that typical moody streak where you never know what's going to happen.”

The Lake Huron, slated as the ninth race, has drawn six hopefuls, including Dragon's Brew, a son of Milwaukee Brew.

Trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Robert Tiller, the gelding is 3-0-1 from seven lifetime starts, with a 1-0-1 mark from three turf engagements.

The grass win came in his most recent start, a six-furlong trek over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on July 17.

Sent on his way at 15-1 Dragon's Brew, under Kazushi Kimura, found daylight in the stretch and went on to a two-length score in a time of 1:09.81 over good going.

“Did I see it coming? Yes. The way he was acting and the way he was training, I thought he'd have a good race,” said Tiller. “His first race of the year [June 27, at Woodbine], you had to throw out because there was a spill in that race. He was kind of involved and was cut up. I knew that wasn't a real race.”

Cutting back a furlong and switching from the E.P. Taylor Turf to the inner turf will present a few challenges for Dragon's Brew, noted Tiller.

That said, the decorated conditioner knows one thing he can expect from the bay, bred and owned by Goldmart Farms.

“He's always had a little trouble fighting the turn and he has to run on the Inner over five-eighths. He's in good order and we'll give it our best shot. I wish it was further and it was on the E.P. Taylor, and it's only one turn. He did have trouble making that sharp turn last fall [third on the Inner in the Bull Page Stakes]. There are some factors we're concerned about, but he'll be running on end. He'll come running. He's a good finisher, and he's a nice, little horse.”

First post time is 1:10 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE $80,00 GEORGIAN BAY 

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER
1 – Meet the Soprano – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
2 – Artful Ballerina – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Darwin Banach
3 – Benny's Button – Juan Crawford – Beverley Chubb
4 – Nero Davola (S) – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler
5 – Sunsprite – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard
6 – Humble Beginnings (S) – Kazushi Kimura – Krista Cole-Simpson

FIELD FOR THE $80,000 LAKE HURON 

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER
1 – Red Maple – Shaun Bridgmohan – Michelle Love
2 – Forest Survivor – Kazushi Kimura – Norm McKnight
3 – Jocularity – Justin Stein – Ashlee Brnjas
4 – Galvaston – David Moran – Michael Doyle
5 – All Canadian – Gary Boulanger – Gail Cox
6 – Dragon's Brew – Patrick Husbands – Robert Tiller

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