Seven first-year stars, including Kevin Attard trainee Philip My Dear, take their talents to the E.P. Taylor Turf Course in Saturday's Grade 1 $500,000 Pattison Summer Stakes, part of a stakes-stacked Saturday at Woodbine.
The one-mile Summer is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, “Win and You're In” event. Up for grabs is a fees-paid date in the one-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (accompanied by a $1 million purse), to be run on November 4 at Keeneland.
Attard, who won the 2001 edition with El Soprano, will look to unbeaten Philip My Dear to add another Summer title to his resume.
Rajendra Maharajh, the man behind Raroma Stables, paid $100,000 (U.S.) for the son of Silent Name (JPN)-Involuntary at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“We had to go a little high for him, but that's how the sale was,” said Maharajh. “But I'm glad we got him. Art Fisher, my very good friend in Ocala, he selected both [2-year-old filly] Courtly Ro and Philip My Dear. He also selected [2021 Woodbine Oaks winner] Munnyfor Ro, so we are doing quite well with his selections.”
After two wins in as many starts, the dark bay has lived up to his price tag, putting together a pair of pleasing performances, including an out-of-the-clouds rally to take the 6 ½-furlong Soaring Free Stakes on August 20.
Sent off as the even-money choice, Philip My Dear, under leading Woodbine rider Kazushi Kimura, weaved through traffic to notch a three-quarter length score in a time of 1:16.31 over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
One race earlier, on July 3, the Ontario-bred (Adena Springs) split horses down the lane to earn a 1 ½-length win in the 6-furlong race, also on the E.P. Taylor.
“He definitely makes it thrilling, that's for sure,” said Attard. “Both races were very similar. Last time, I didn't think he was going to get up there in time, but he managed to split horses and Kazushi got him there just in the nick of time. He's a very nice horse and hasn't done anything wrong to this point. We hope that trend continues.”
Mysterious Night (IRE), a Godolphin homebred, will look for his third win in his sixth start.
Sporting a record of 2-1-2 from five starts, the son of Dark Angel (IRE)-Mistrusting (IRE) will have William Buick in the irons once again.
“He travelled well,” said Appleby, who paired with Godolphin to win the 2021 Summer with Albahr (GB). “He takes a nice, progressive profile into the race. He has adapted well so far to his surroundings.”
Mark Casse will send out Ninetyfour Expos and Stayhonor Goodside in the Summer, a race he has won on four occasions.
The Hall of Fame conditioner netted the natural hat trick from 2013-15, starting with My Conquestadory, followed by Conquest Typhoon and Conquest Daddyo. He also won with Gretzky the Great in 2020.
First race post time on Saturday is set for 1:10 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.
$500,000 PATTISON SUMMER (Grade 1) – Race 7
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Mysterious Night (IRE) – William Buick – Charles Appleby
2 – Ninetyfour Expos – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
3 – Appraise (IRE) – Manuel Franco – Chad Brown
4 – Chiseler – Patrick Husbands – Barbara Minshall
5 – Sammy Stone – Declan Carroll – Catherine Day Phillips
6 – Philip My Dear – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard
7 – Stayhonor Goodside – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
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