Wide-Open Woodbine Oaks Highlights Stakes-Laden Sunday Card At Woodbine

Lorena and Jilli Marie will put their respective unbeaten records on the line in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, one of four stakes on Sunday's 11-race card at Woodbine.

Inaugurated in 1956, the filly classic, which has attracted 10 Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies carrying 121 pounds over one mile and one-eighth on the Tapeta, will go postward as race eight at approximately 4:46 p.m. ET. The winning connections will receive $300,000.

Sunday's card also features the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes, a key race ahead of the Queen's Plate (August 22), the Grade 2 $175,000 Royal North Stakes, and Grade 3 $150,000 Vigil Stakes.

Lorena, a daughter of Souper Speedy-Negotiable, will look to keep her winning ways intact in the Oaks. Trained by Stuart Simon, who co-owns with Brent and Russell McLellan, and former jockey Gerry Olguin, the dark bay is three-for-three in her career, including a front-running score in the Fury Stakes on July 10 at Woodbine.

“Overall, it was her physical makeup and the female family she was out of,” said Simon, as to what caught his attention at the 2019 CTHS Yearling Sale. “Souper Speedy seems to be doing very well, but I always look at the female family first. If I like that, I proceed on from there. She's got a graded stakes winner in her second dam [Blushing Heiress], who won at Santa Anita at a time when the racing was really tough.”

Bred by Dr. Liam Gannon, Lorena made her debut last November at Woodbine in a 5 ½- furlong main track event.

Leaving the gate as the 5-1 second choice in the field of 12, Lorena, under Rafael Hernandez, was 3 ½-lengths in front at the stretch call, and went on to record an easy 7 ½-length victory in 1:04.26.

“She indicated she could be good first-time out,” recalled Olguin, who gallops the horse. “You had the sense from the mornings works. She was always very calm and when she ran that first race, she ran very impressively.”

On June 19 in a 6 ½-furlong trip over the Toronto oval main track, Lorena converted a head advantage at the stretch call into a three-length score in a time of 1:15-flat.

In the Fury, Lorena led the field of Canadian-bred fillies through a quarter in :23.57 and half-mile :46.82, and held her challengers at bay to win the seven-furlong sprint in 1:23.94 with Gary Boulanger in the irons.

“She's just done everything so well,” praised Simon. “She keeps taking steps forward. I'm not concerned about the distance. I'm a little concerned about running back in three weeks. It's a cramped schedule, but there's also only one chance to win the Oaks.”

Boulanger, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2020, will look to win his second Oaks, 20 years after guiding Sam-Son star Dancethruthedawn to victory in both the Oaks and Queen's Plate.

“Gary said how gutsy she was and that she'll do anything you want her to do,” said Simon, of their conversation after the Fury win. “She's a true professional. We always liked the way she was training last year. As she progressed last fall, she just kept going forward.”

Lorena's groom, Susie Crawford, has high praise for the filly she refers to as “Lovely Lady.”

“Right from the get-go, she grasped on to everything,” said Crawford. “You didn't have to asked her twice to learn something. She's just so smart. She loves her mints and apples, and she loves to nap all the time. She's calm and classy. She loves what she does. She's a very sweet-natured horse.”

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Jilli Marie will also endeavor to keep her win streak intact.

Owner Kevin Drew of Chatham (Ontario) purchased the filly from the first crop of millionaire Dynamic Sky at the 2019 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale for $15,000 from his neighbour Brian Wright. The bay was Drew's first Thoroughbred purchase.

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva, Jilli Marie brings a three-for-three record – including a stakes crown – into the Oaks. Last November, under jockey Steven Bahen, she took the South Ocean, winning by 1 ½-lengths in the 6 ½-furlong test over the Woodbine main track.

“She's a really gritty filly,” said Vassilieva. “She has a lot of heart. She's such a small horse in stature, but she has a ton of heart. She tries so hard in all of her races. She's fearless, she's patient – she has all the right qualities of a really good racehorse.”

Jilli Marie won her three-year-old debut on July 2 at Woodbine, besting 10 rivals over 6 furlongs on the Toronto oval Tapeta.

Vassilieva gives out high marks for her sophomore charge.

“I love the way she sits off and relaxes in her races. She listens to the jockey really well and she's able to relax. It's not ideal that we go from a sprint to a mile and eighth. I would have loved to have a two-turn race in between, but we ran out of time because of COVID and how the schedule worked out. The way she's run her sprints, relaxing and sitting off the pace, and running on when called on, I think she might be able to get the distance. She's a filly that has always had that competitive spirit.”

Vassilieva sees the diminutive Jilli Marie as the prototypical dark horse.

“It is an underdog story in a way. She was an orphaned foal. She lost her mom early on in her life. It's a story of tenacity, determination and grit. She's a very happy horse and always has her ears pricked. She gets excited when people bring her treats. She loves attention. I can always feel her eyes on me when I'm walking around the barn doing other things. She's always looking at me as though to say, 'Okay, when you are going to come over and see me?'”

Joel Garcia, Jilli Marie's groom, shares a close bond with the filly.

“She's professional every single day,” said Garcia. “She's always very calm in the stall and she knows when she's going out. She's great at all times and she always gives her best on the track. She's tiny, but she is brave. She isn't scared of anything.”

Owned by Breeze Easy, LLC, Curlin's Catch, a bay daughter of Curlin, brings a record of 2-1-1 from seven starts into the Oaks. Trained by Mark Casse, the filly, bred by Sam-Son, won the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs this February. Casse is chasing his fourth Oaks win, having taken the 2006 edition with Kimchi, the 2007 running with Sealy Hill, and the 2014 edition with Lexie Lou. Both Sealy Hill and Lexie Lou went on to take Canadian Horse of the Year honours.

Emmeline, bred by the late Bill Graham, has two runner-up efforts in as many starts in 2021. Overall, the daughter of Violence has assembled a 0-2-1 mark from five starts for trainer Mike Mattine and owners RCC Racing Stable Ltd., and Realm Racing Stables.

Owned by JDLP Holdings, Inc., Erasmo's Girl heads into the Oaks off a maiden-breaking effort on June 24. Trained by Steven Chircop, the daughter of English Channel, bred by Terry Brooker and Richard Lister, was Hip No. 1175 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Bred and owned by Franco Meli, Il Malocchio won last year's Victorian Stakes at Woodbine and was second in the Princess Elizabeth on October 31. This year, the daughter of Souper Speedy is 1-3-1 in eight appearances.

Lady Moonshine has a pair of bronze efforts in two career starts for owner Bet Two Seven Stables and trainer Mark Casse. A dark bay daughter of multiple graded stakes champ Milwaukee Brew, Lady Moonshine will make her stakes debut in the Oaks.

Trained by Breeda Hayes for owner-breeder Garland Williamson (Hillsbrook Farms), Miss Marie, a daughter of Carpe Diem, shrugged off a ninth-place debut and won her next start on July 10.

Munnyfor Ro, owned by Raroma Stable, arrives at the Oaks off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on July 10. Trained by Kevin Attard, the chestnut daughter of Munnings is 1-2-2 from eight lifetime starts.

Youens, a bay daughter of American Pharoah, bred by Sam-Son Farm, has three thirds from six starts to date. Owned by Jerry Jamgotchian, and trained by Eric Reed, the bay will be making her Woodbine debut in the Oaks.

The Woodbine Oaks is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, which continues at the Toronto oval with the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes on August 28 and concludes with the Wonder Where Stakes over 1 ½-miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on October 2.

First race post time for Sunday's stakes-filled program is 1:10 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

$500,000 WOODBINE OAKS PRESENTED BY BUDWEISER

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Curlin's Catch – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

2 – Jilli Marie – Steven Bahen – Katerina Vassilieva

3 – Miss Marie – David Moran – Breeda Hayes

4 – Lorena – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

5 – Youens – Jeffrey Alderson – Angus Buntain

6 – Emmeline – Emma-Jayne Wilson – John Mattine

7 – Erasmo's Girl – Ademar Santos – Steven Chircop

8 – Lady Moonshine – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

9 – Il Malocchio – Patrick Husbands – Martin Drexler

10 – Munnyfor Ro – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

$150,000 PLATE TRIAL STAKES (Race 3)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – H C Holiday – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

2 – Derkii – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Carlos Grant

3 – Truffle King – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

4 – Avoman – Antonio Gallardo – Don MacRae

$150,000 GRADE 3 VIGIL STAKES (Race 7)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Cash Dividend (S) – Kazushi Kimura – Denyse McClachrie

2 – Souper Stonehenge – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

3 – Pink Lloyd – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller

4 – Green Light Go (S) – David Moran – Michael Doyle

5 – Not So Quiet – Luis Contreras – Mark Casse

6 – Embolden – Justin Stein – Michael De Paulo

$175,000 GRADE 2 ROYAL NORTH STAKES (Race 9)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Amalfi Coast – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

2 – Jeanie B (GB) – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

3 – Lady Grace – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

4 – Change of Control – Patrick Husbands – Michelle Lovell

5 – Fairywren – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Josie Carroll

6 – Sister Peacock – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

7 – Lead Guitar – Rafael Hernandez – George Weaver

8 – Jeannie's Beepbeep – Luis Contreras – Norm McKnight

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Red River Rebel Breaks Maiden In Frost King Stakes At Woodbine

Two-year-old Red River Rebel defied his odds in the featured $100,000 Frost King Stakes, scoring a maiden-breaking victory on Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.

Steve Bahen worked out the winning trip aboard the homebred Reload gelding in the 6 1/2-furlong Ontario Sired Stakes event, which was rescheduled after Sunday's Thoroughbred racing program was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.

Red River Rebel tracked a trio of early leavers in fourth-place while Forest Survivor established the lead through a :22.76 quarter-mile and was pressed by All Canadian into the turn. Red River Rebel chased along the rail into the stretch and took the inside path to victory, surging by despite Forest Survivor drifting in down the lane.

Making just his second career start, Red River Rebel was victorious in 1:16.05 for trainer Rachel Halden and owners Denny Andrews and Northern Dawn Stables. Forest Survivor finished 2 1/2 lengths behind in second, with Candy Overload overtaking All Canadian, who edged out Bull Page Stakes winner Avoman in a photo finish for fourth-place. The popular Simcoe Stakes champion, Dragon's Brew, finished sixth, followed by Souper Classy, De Only Solution and Blind Trust.

Sent postward at odds of 6-1 after finishing third in his October 23 debut, Red River Rebel returned $14.90 to win.

“He ran real good his first start, but he did get a little tired,” said Bahen. “He came back and he trained real good. I've been galloping him and he's been training really well so I knew he was good today.

“I think he can be any kind of horse; he's just learning now,” added the veteran reinsman. “He was kind of a little silly guy and he's learned a lot since we've had him and he's doing well. He's moving forwardly and hopefully he gets even better.”

In other Friday night action, favorite The Boss Factor ($5.70) was no match for his grey rivals, winning the 2020 edition of the $50,000 Grey Handicap in rein to Patrick Husbands, and giving trainer Martin Drexler back-to-back victories in the event.

Owned by Bruno Schickedanz, the four-year-old gelded son of The Factor opened up an insurmountable 10-length lead down the backstretch in the 1 1/16-mile main track race and cruised home to score in 1:44.26. His leading margin diminished to one length near the wire with Coleyville closing from the backfield in second. Suitedconnected checked in third, another 3-1/4 lengths behind.

The Grey Handicap is for registered grey and roan horses, 3-year-olds and up, that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2019-20.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues at Woodbine Racetrack with a super Saturday stakes program, featuring the $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (Grade 2), $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (Grade 2), $125,000 Ontario Derby (Grade 3) and $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes. All the action begins at 1:25 p.m.

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Mizzen Beau Wires Bison City Field, Giving Norm Casse First Canadian Triumph

Mizzen Beau, under Steve Bahen, was strong early and powerful late in taking Saturday's $250,000 Bison City Stakes presented by Rethink Breast Cancer, at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

The mile and one-sixteenth Bison City, second leg of the Triple Tiara for Canadian-foaled 3-year-old fillies, was missing Curlin's Voyage, who won the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser on August 15. The daughter of Curlin instead contested the 161st running of the Queen's Plate today, finishing fifth.

Trained by Norm Casse, Mizzen Beau arrived at the Bison City off a fourth-place effort in the Woodbine Oaks. It was the second consecutive start at Woodbine for the Daniel Investment Holdings' grey, who finished fifth in the Fury Stakes on July 5.

The third time at the Toronto oval proved to be the charm.

Breaking sharply from the gate, Mizzen Beau was guided towards the rail by Bahen, as Infinite Patience and Truth Hurts settled in second and third, respectively, around the first turn and through an opening quarter-mile in :23.49. Mutuel favorite Afleet Katherine, who was runner-up to Curlin's Voyage in the Woodbine Oaks, sat fifth along the rail.

It was status quo for the top flight after a half-mile clip in :47.68, as Mizzen Beau maintained a comfortable one-length lead.

As the eight-horse field began the turn for home, Afleet Katherine and jockey Justin Stein looked for a seam to take aim at the leader, while Truth Hurts attempted an inside bid.

Any thoughts of corralling Mizzen Beau were quickly dashed, as Bahen and the Richard Lister-bred filly dashed away from their rivals with ease, widening their advantage down the lane.

At the wire, Mizzen Beau, who delivered Casse his first Canadian win, was 4 3/4-lengths ahead of Afleet Katherine. Truth Hurts was a head back in third, with Gun Society finishing fourth.

The final time over the Tapeta was 1:44.35.

“She broke real sharp, and she's kind of a small little filly,” said Bahen, who teamed with Silent Fleet to win the 1996 Bison City. “Norm [Casse] just said kind of let her be happy where she is like last time, and she was up there kind of tugging on me so I said, 'OK, this is where we're going to be' just hoping she'd settle down, and she did down the backside. Was perfect.”

Just as it was down the stretch.

“I didn't hear anybody behind me,” noted Bahen. “I kind of smooched to her to make her pick it up a little bit just on her own, and when we turned for home we went.”

The win was the third from nine starts for the daughter of Mizzen Mast, who debuted last July with a fourth-place finish at Ellis Park.

Mizzen Beau broke her maiden in her third career start, a sharp 2 3/4-length score over seven panels on the Keeneland dirt on October 11.

The third and final leg in the series is the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, at one mile and one-quarter on the turf, on October 25.

Mizzen Beau returned $19.10, $5.80 and $3.60, combining with Afleet Katherine ($2.80, $2.10) for a $42.90 (4-2) exactor. A 4-2-3 (Truth Hurts, $3.40 to show) triactor paid $143.60, while a $1 superfecta [4-2-3-8 (Gun Society)] was worth $413.40.

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