Tag: Racing

Irish-bred Wakanaka, trained by Bill Mott, looked right at home on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, taking all the spoils in the $204,400 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) Sunday at Woodbine.

It was another Irish-bred, Fev Rover, who zipped up the rail to seize control of the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares as Inthewinnerscircle was settled into second, one length off the leader through an opening quarter mile in :23.65 over firm going. Seasons was positioned in third, a head in front of Wakanaka.

Fev Rover was a half-length on top after a half in :47.19, followed by Inthewinnerscircle, Seasons, Wakanaka, Munnyfor Ro, and Youens (Keyflower and Lady Speightspeare were scratched.).

In front by just a head after six furlongs in 1:10.26, Fev Rover braced for the challenge of a surging Wakanaka, who was making up ground quickly to her outside.

One length clear at the stretch call, Wakanaka, making her first appearance at Woodbine, went on to record a 1 ¾-length victory in a time of 1:39.46.

Fev Rover finished second, a head in front of Munnyfor Ro. Seasons was fourth. A claim of foul by Patrick Husbands, the rider of Fev Rover, was disallowed.

Wakanaka, who was bred by Mrs. Jean Brennan, returned $4.60.

“Keeping her forward and turning for home, she saw the daylight and just ran off,” said winning rider Rafael Hernandez, one race after capturing the Woodbine Oaks with Moira. “She just looked a little bit at the grandstand. We've got a long stretch here and when horses come here new, they like to look at the grandstand too much. I just try to keep their attention on the race.”

With the win, Wakanaka, owned by Team Valor International and Gary Barber, improved her record to 7-4-1 from 13 starts that also includes a victory in the 2021 Premio Regina Elena (Italian One Thousand Guineas) (G1) and three consecutive graded stakes-placings in the United States this year. The 4-year-old daughter of Power out of Storyline, by Kodiac, entered the Dance Smartly off a runner-up finish in the Longines Just a Game (G1) June 11 at Belmont Park.

The Dance Smartly is the first race of the lucrative Ladies of the Lawn Series, which also includes the Canadian Stakes (G2)  ($200,000)  Sunday, August 21, and the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) ($750,000) Saturday, October 8.

Launched in 2019, this year's series offers a $250,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins all three races in the series. If a horse doesn't sweep the series, a $50,000 bonus will be presented to the connections of the horse that accumulates the most points throughout the trio of races.

The post ‘She Saw The Daylight And Just Ran Off’: Wakanaka Dispatches Rivals In Early Stretch, Rolls Home In Dance Smartly appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Moira, under Rafael Hernandez, made it look easy in taking the 67th running of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred fillies Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Kevin Attard for owner X-Men Racing LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, Moira took the lead around the turn for home and then easily glided away from the field en route to a 10 ¾-length score and a possible date in the Queen's Plate, set for August 21 at the Toronto racetrack.

If Saturday's performance is any indication of what could come in a month's time, the connections of the Ghostzapper filly are no doubt smiling.

Loaded Vixen, supplemented to the race, was put on the front end by Patrick Husbands, with Chad Brown trainee Sahlabiya settling into second and Maccool's Girl locking into third spot through an opening quarter timed in :23.54, as Moira was positioned into seventh spot in the 10-horse field.

It was status quo for the top three through a half reached in :47.34, as Hernandez kept Moira, now sixth, unfettered and running comfortably.

By the time field made its way into the turn for home, Moira was gobbling up ground and gliding her way up to the leaders, looking like she had plenty left in the tank.

And as her rivals soon discovered, she absolutely did.

Ahead by five lengths at Robert Geller's stretch call, in 1:36.85, Moira poured it on down the lane, the even-money choice romping to the easiest of victories. In the final strides, Hernandez pointed emphatically at the filly, who now has three wins and a second from four career starts.

Sister Seagull soared from well back to secure second spot, while Sahlabiya finished third, a nose ahead of Souper Flashy, another Attard trainee.

The final time for the race on the Tapeta surface was 1:49.78.

“She was push button in the first turn,” said Hernandez. “We just sat there and saved as much ground as we could and made our move down the backside. I knew horses were going to be stopping in front of me, so I just tried to get her away from them. By the three-eighths, I was already where I wanted to be. Turning for home, I just talked to her and said, 'Come on Moira, it's all about you. Go get it.' And she just exploded.

“I have to give a lot of thanks to this excellent group, the owners, for giving me an opportunity to get back on this amazing filly. From the first day I got on in the morning I was impressed. Today, she showed up. She just played with the rest of the field.”

Prior to the race, it was horseshoes that would alter the pre-race game plan.

“It was crazy,” Attard started. “You know, she's always been a little bit kind of antsy in the paddock. We school her a lot and she just kind of had a little episode and unfortunately stepped on her hind foot and kind of knocked off the one shoe and kind of bent the other shoe. The paddock blacksmith tried to adjust it and fix it. I appreciate his effort. So, we elected to run her without the hind shoes. I wasn't too concerned with it being a synthetic surface. But obviously you're not accustomed to doing it, so it's always a little bit in the back of your head anyways. She's a class horse and I've always thought highly of her, and she obviously ran to that today.”

Now, the decision to run in the $1 million Queen's Plate will be a topic of conversation in the coming days.

“We've discussed that, we spaced this race out with the possibility if things went well today that we could see her there,” said Attard, who captured his second straight Oaks after winning last year with Munnyfor Ro. “We'll have a little discussion about that. And as long as she comes out fine, I'm sure we're willing to give it a try.”

Donato Lanni, of X-Men Racing, will take a wait-and-see approach with his sophomore star, who returned $4.

“It's going be up to her and Kevin. It may be great to run in that race again,” he said. “Fillies have won it before, but we're just so lucky to be here today. So, let's take one race at a time and thank you for Woodbine. You do a great job here and it's a great place to come.”

The Woodbine Oaks has served as a Queen's Plate stepping-stone for fillies. Oaks-Plate champions include Holy Helena (2017), Lexie Lou (2014), Inglorious (2011) and Dancethruthedawn (2001). In 2018, Oaks runner-up Wonder Gadot went on to win the Queen's Plate.

Adena Springs bred Moira in Ontario from the Unbridled's Song mare Devine Aida. Hidden Brook sold her to Lanni's X-Men Racing for $150,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The post Sans Hind Shoes, Moira Romps To Commanding Woodbine Oaks Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The seventh race Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies on the inner turf course, was declared a “No Contest” by the Board of Stewards.

A mechanical issue with the starting gate tractor created a delay in removing the gate once the field broke. Due to safety concerns communicated by the outriders to the jockeys, several jockeys pulled up their mounts during the running of the race. As a result, the Board of Stewards declared the race a “No Contest.”

“Ensuring a safe racing environment for jockeys and horses is paramount,” said Pat McKenna, Vice President of Communications for NYRA. “Our outriders are highly skilled and experienced professionals who made a swift decision today based on concern for the safety of the jockeys and horses in the heat of competition.”

All wagers placed starting in Race 7 were refunded. All other Pick 3, Pick 5, Pick 6 and Grand Slam wagers were considered an ALL for the corresponding leg of the wager. Consolation payouts were given for the Double that started in Race 6.

The post Saratoga Race Declared ‘No Contest’ After Gate Tractor Malfunction appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Sir for Sure announced his arrival as a top Queen's Plate contender with an impressive score in the $150,400 Plate Trial Stakes Sunday at Woodbine.

A field of nine Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds took to the Toronto oval's Tapeta surface in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial, which comes three weeks before the running of the $1 million Queen's Plate, set for August 21 at Woodbine.

Causin' Mayhem, making his first start outside of the U.S., went to the front as Dancin in Da'nile got away second with a headstrong 9-5 choice The Minkster in third. The pacesetter reached the opening quarter in :24.07 and was still calling the shots by a length after a half in :48.54.

After three-quarters in 1:12.62, with Dancin in Da'nile now on top by a half-length over Causin' Mayhem, the Mark Casse-trained duo of Sir for Sure and Hall of Dreams came calling, powering their way to the front midway down the lane.

Sir for Sure crossed the line a two-length victor. Patrick Husbands, aboard Hall of Dreams, launched a claim of foul against the winner, but the order of finish remained unchanged.

Causin' Mayhem was third and Duke of Love fourth.

Sir for Sure covered the distance in 1:50.62.

“I knew my horse had a good kick when he (broke his maiden) at Gulfstream (February 5 in his first start of 2022), so I just bided my time, and then when I had to make room, I was able to push out,” said winning rider Declan Carroll. “You know, that's how racing is sometimes, it gets a little rough but I'm happy to come away with a win. Honestly, it was a very easy ride. He traveled beautifully throughout the race.”

René and Darlene Hunderup of Heste Sport Inc., who operate Norse Ridge Farm, were thrilled with the Plate Trial performance.

A spot in the starting gate for the Queen's Plate, North America's oldest continually run stakes race, could be on tap for Sir for Sure.

“Thankful to Mark for the preparation, thankful to my wife for having bred this incredible beast, and he just came through as a real classy horse,” said René Hunderup. “It's wonderful to be the owner of such a classy horse.”

It was the first stakes triumph for the bay gelding, who was second in his career bow in last year's Frost King Stakes. He was sixth in the Queenston Stakes on June 12 in his start prior to the Plate Trial.

The homebred Sligo Bay colt out of Serena's Rose, by My Way Only, returned $45.70 for the win and now sports a record of 2-1-0 from five starts.

The post Sir For Sure Stamps Queen’s Plate Credentials With Plate Trial Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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