‘You Always Dream Of Having These Kinds Of Horses’: Simon Readying Summer Sunday For Her Swansong

Summer Sunday has one last journey to take before heading to greener pastures.

Less than a week from now, the striking six-year-old mare will depart the barn of trainer Stuart Simon and head over to the Woodbine paddock for the La Prevoyante Stakes.

The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upwards, will be the swan song for Summer Sunday, the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Silent Name (JPN).

Should she win the $100,000 race, the veteran campaigner would eclipse the $1million mark (CDN) in lifetime earnings for owners Anne and William Scott.

Soon after the race, Summer Sunday will be on her way to Ireland to begin a new life.

“She's going to be a broodmare, and she's going to have a forever home with Mr. Scott's relative in Ireland,” noted Simon. “It's very nice to know that she's going to a place where she'll be well looked after for the rest of her days.”

The reality of the La Prevoyante being her final start has already hit Simon.

“It's going to be emotional…” said the longtime conditioner, his voice trailing off. “We didn't raise her, but we bought her as a yearling, and we tried to keep her safe and looked after her whole life. It's going to be very emotional. She's so special. You always dream of having these kind of horses.”

Her most recent start, the Eternal Search on October 29 at Woodbine, was the ninth career stakes score for Summer Sunday, who sports a record of 11-3-1 from 21-lifetime starts.

Summer Sunday launched her career with a win on July 15, 2017, going on to net the natural hat trick to complete her rookie season with a perfect three-for-three mark, which included victories in the Nandi and Muskoka Stakes.

In 2019, she was named Canada's champion female sprinter.

Simon, who has 838 career wins, continues to marvel at the mare's versatile ways.

“She has won stakes races from five furlongs up to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on all three surfaces at Woodbine. She's won a five-furlong race on the Inner Turf, she's won multiple graded stakes on the main track, and she's won a graded stakes race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, as well as a two-turn Open stakes race on the synthetic. Not many of the past champions and good horses here have that kind of diversity. Not taking anything away from all of the great horses that have been here, but most of them are really good at one thing, probably, whether it's running short or running long, turf or synthetic.”

Regular rider Rafael Hernandez is equally effusive in his praise of Summer Sunday's ample abilities.

His highest compliment is divided between the conditioner and the dark bay.

“I liked her from the first time I got on her,” said the veteran jockey, who has over 2,800 career wins. “She used to be a filly that was all speed. Every time the gate opened, it was 'go, go, go.' Like every horse, when they grow up, they start to figure it out. They don't have to be on the engine the whole way. They can settle down. She's been doing that for the last couple of years. She can settle off the pace and be able to finish. We can do anything we want with her.”

One race, in particular, stands out for Hernandez.

“I remember – if you speak with Stuart, I think he would agree with me – it was the stakes race (2019 running of the Grade 2 Royal North) when she had never been on the grass before. It was six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor. Stuart told me there weren't races coming up for her, so we had to give it a shot. And it was the most impressive race she had. The E.P. Taylor is very hard to win on. With speed horses, that long stretch, it can really be hard on them. It was an impressive race from her. Stuart is an unbelievable trainer, and he has done a great job with her. On the track, she is so calm and so professional. Stuart has worked hard over the years to get her to settle down, and she has in every way.”

Simon also easily recalled the Royal North performance.

“She was bred for the turf, and she trained like she would like the grass. Just the way it fit into the schedule, we decided to run her in that race. And she came up with such a great effort.”

On a crisp autumn Saturday – the forecast is currently calling for light snow, and a high of 0 degrees Celsius – Summer Sunday will go postward for the 22nd and final time in her career, in search of her 12th win and the $1 million mark in earnings.

The horseman who has campaigned the versatile Ontario-bred hopes she goes out a winner, perhaps channelling the luck of the Irish ahead of her new post-racing life.

If she doesn't happen to cross the wire first, Simon won't hang his head.

He has no reason to.

“I expect her to run well. She's as honest as they come. The mile and a sixteenth doesn't bother me. She's acting more and more as she's gotten older that she wants to run further. I've run her once going two turns, and she won that race. She defeated an open field of horses, including the filly (Souper Escape) that won the Sovereign for top older mare in 2020. She's no one-trick pony, that's for sure.”

Hernandez is hopeful she lives to her name this weekend. Well, sort of.

“The last few times we've been racing in the stakes on Saturdays when most of the stakes she wins are on Sunday, just like her name. But it doesn't matter. Whenever she races, she gives everything she has.”

It's one of many things Simon will miss about Summer Sunday, who was bred by Trinity West Stables Ltd.

That said, he's content to see one of his top stars begin a new chapter in her life.

“It's starting to hit home more and more that this is going to be it. And it's time. I'm glad, and I'm happy for her and very comfortable with the decision to stop on her. She's good right now, but you don't want to push the envelope. You want her to have a good life because she deserves it.”

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‘Very Special’ Summer Sunday Headlines Friday’s Eternal Search At Woodbine

Summer Sunday, a six-year-old daughter of Silent Name (JPN), chases her ninth career stakes score in the $100,000 Eternal Search Presented by HBPA Ontario, Friday at Woodbine.

Trained by Stuart Simon for owners Anne and William Scott, Summer Sunday arrives at the 7 ½-furlong Inner Turf event for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, in solid form, having gone 1-2-0 in her past three starts.

After a runner-up effort in July in the Ballade Stakes to kick off her current campaign, the bay, bred by Trinity West Stables Ltd., won the Zadracarta Stakes on September 10.

She returned $10 for the win.

Canada's champion female sprinter in 2019 heads into the Eternal Search off a second-place performance in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes on October 3.

“She's doing really well,” offered Simon. “She just continues to be a very special horse for us.”

The conditioner shared the game plan for Summer Sunday, who sports a 10-3-1 mark from 20 starts.

“She's a little over $900,000 Canadian in earnings. She's going to run this time and one more time after that, if all goes well, and if she wins one and runs second in the other, she would break the million-dollar mark or be right on it. That would be nice to do that with her.”

After those races, Summer Sunday will stamp her passport and head to Ireland.

“She's going to be a broodmare and she's going to have a forever home with Mr. Scott's relative in Ireland. So, all being well with her, knock on wood, she'll race on Friday and again on December 4 (La Prevoyante Stakes), then she'll be retired. It's very nice to know that she's going to a place where she'll be well looked after for the rest of her days.”

Summer Sunday launched her career with a win on July 15, 2017, going on to net the natural hat trick to complete her rookie season with a perfect three-for-three mark, which included victories in the Nandi and Muskoka Stakes.

Simon, who has 835 career wins, continues to marvel at the mare's versatile ways.

“I didn't raise her, but I did buy her as a yearling, and I've had her for her whole career. Not taking anything away from all of the great horses that have been here, but most of them are really good at one thing, probably, whether it's running short or running long, turf or synthetic.

“She has won stakes races from five furlongs up to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on all three surfaces at Woodbine. She's won a five-furlong race on the Inner Turf, she's won multiple graded stakes on the main track, and she's won a graded stakes race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, as well as a two-turn Open stakes race on the synthetic. Not many of the past champions and good horses here have that kind of diversity.”

The Eternal Search is slated as race seven. First race post time is 4:45 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com or the Dark Horse Bets app.

$100,000 ETERNAL SEARCH STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – November Fog – Shaun Bridgmohan – Sarah Ritchie

2 – Royal Wedding – Daisuke Fukumoto – Nathan Squires

3 – She's a Dream – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

4 – Summer Sunday – Rafael Hernandez – Stuart Simon

5 – Hello Friends – David Moran – John LeBlanc Jr.

6 – Golden Vision – Omar Moreno – Tino Attard

7 – Preferred Guest – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

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Broken Proposal Will Try To Deliver Sam-Son Seventh Princess Elizabeth Score

Broken Proposal, a two-year-old daughter of Broken Vow, goes for her first-added money crown in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, one of two (Grade 3 $150,000 Hendrie) features on Saturday's 10-race card at Woodbine.

Ten starters are slated to go postward in the 76th renewal of the Princess Elizabeth, a 1 1/16-mile main track race for Canadian-bred two-year-old fillies.

Trained by Stuart Simon, Broken Proposal, a Sam-Son Farm homebred, finished second in her career bow on October 1 at Woodbine in a one-mile race over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Sent on her way at 15-1, the bay, under Gary Boulanger, had a less-than-ideal journey.

Despite a tough beginning and a traffic-filled ending, Broken Proposal managed to finish second 1 ¾-lengths behind the winner.

If Simon was hoping for his young charge to gain some needed experience in her debut, she most certainly did.

“She had a trip where she doesn't have a lot of speed, so I told Gary to just let her get her feet underneath her and get some experience of closing behind her horses,” said Simon. “And that's just what she did. She hesitated a little bit in the stretch, but that happens on the turf. I like to see them save ground and it teaches them a little something.”

Broken Proposal came out of the race in good order and has been training forwardly ahead of her spot in the Princess Elizabeth starting gate.

“She came out of the race well. She's one of those fillies where she was a little immature this summer, but each week now she just becomes a better filly. Mind and body, she's putting it all together. I think her turf form will transfer to the main track. She's worked well on the main track and I know she'll really get the distance. She'll run a long way, that filly. I think the two turns and the further distance will only help her.”

Should she win on Saturday, Broken Proposal would be the seventh Sam-Son silk bearer to have won the race that was inaugurated in 1946.

Sam-Son, who lead all owners with six Princess Elizabeth victories, won the 2000 edition with Dancethruthedawn. The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee went on to win the 2001 Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks, both with Boulanger aboard.

In 2018, Boulanger and Simon teamed with Bold Script to win the race. One year later, Simon won with Cool Shadows.

“It would be great to see Sam-Son get their seventh,” said Simon. “I have two, so I'm looking forward to going for the hat trick.”

Mark Casse has four chances to win. The dual Hall of Fame trainer is represented by Baksheesh, a daughter of Summer Front, who won the Muskoka Stakes in August, Lois Len, a stakes-placed daughter of Hunters Bay, Gary Barber homebred Into Touring, who will make her Canadian debut on Saturday, and Mo Touring, another Barber homebred, who will contest her third consecutive stakes event.

Princess Elizabeth-winning fillies Nipissing (2012), Roan Inish (2009), Ginger Gold (2001), Dancethruthedawn (2000), Deputy Jane West (1992) and Par Excellence (1979) all went on to win the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser the following year. Ginger Gold holds the race record (1:43.48) at the current distance of 1 1/16 miles.

The Grade 3 Hendrie has drawn six hopefuls, including Amalfi Coast. The five-year-old daughter of Tapizar arrives at the 6 ½-furlong race for fillies & mares, three-year-olds and up, off a splendid score in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes on October 3. Trained by Kevin Attard, the Terra Racing Stable homebred is 7-2-4 from 18 career starts. Attard is also represented by Toffen, a four-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince, who is 5-1-0 from nine starts.

The Princess Elizabeth is slated as race seven. The Hendrie goes as race three. First race post time is 12:55 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com or the Dark Horse Bets app.

$250,000 PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Broken Proposal – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

2 – Mo Touring – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

3 – Into Touring – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

4 – Lois Len – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Souper Flashy – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

6 – Swinging Mandy – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Dale Desruisseaux

7 – Keep It Neat – Luis Contreras – Barbara Minshall

8 – Baksheesh – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

9 – Moira – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

10 – Intro – Daisuke Fukumoto – Michael De Paulo

$150,000 HENDRIE STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Fiduciary (GB) – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

2 – Our Secret Agent – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

3 – Betwixting – Patrick Husbands – Martin Drexler

4 – Toffen – Antonio Gallardo – Kevin Attard

5 – La Libertee (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

6 – Amalfi Coast – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

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Practical Joke Filly Tops CTHS Sale

A filly by Practical Joke (hip 75) brought the top price of C$180,000 and was one of five yearlings to sell for six figures during the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Premier Yearling Sale Wednesday at Woodbine. Consigned by Shannondoe Farm, the bay filly is out of multiple stakes winner Silent Treat (Silent Name {Jpn}) and was bred in Ontario by Stablemates. She was purchased by J. Nelson.

The top-priced colt at the sale was a son of Silent Name (Jpn) out of stakes-placed Sweet Bama Breeze (City Zip) (hip 94). The bay is a half-brother to stakes winner Will She (Wando). He was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and was purchased for $160,000 by Stuart Simon, as agent for William and Anne Scott.

A total of 158 yearlings sold Wednesday for a gross of $3,144,400. The average was $19,901 and the median was $10,000. At last year's auction, 142 horses sold for $2,795,300 for an average of $19,685 and a median of $14,500.

The post Practical Joke Filly Tops CTHS Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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