Millie Girl, under Rafael Hernandez, rallied late to take the $150,000 Ontario Matron (G3) for fillies and mares Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack.
Millie Girl is trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who also co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd.) with Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds.
The Ontario Matron marked the fourth win and first stakes win for the 5-year-old Hard Spun mare after finishing third in both the Royal North Stakes (G2) and the Nassau Stakes (G2) and second in last month's Seaway Stakes (G3).
Darley's Kentucky-based Hard Spun also is the sire of Spun Glass, who one race later on the card captured the Ontario Fashion (G3) for a back-to-back graded stakes double for the stallion, who stands at Jonabell Farm in Lexington.
From post 8 in the 1 1/16-mile race on the Tapeta main track, Millie Girl broke in the center of the field. With Angelou in the lead, the field reached the opening quarter in :24.53.
Angelou continued to lead with Tamarama (GB) following closely behind with Souper Hoity Toity and Il Malocchio battling for third. The field made it to the half in :48.87. Millie Girl was third last.
Millie Girl started to make ground around the turn, moving up to fourth behind Angelo in first, Mouffy in second, and Il Malocchio in third. Down the stretch, Millie Girl flew past the leaders on the outside, winning by a head. Angelou was second, Il Malochio third, and Mouffy fourth.
The final time was 1:35.75.
“I thought when she got into the clear she would run them down but they weren't coming back to her very quickly and I thought uh-oh, we might be in trouble here but she still found a way to get there,” said Day Philips, who never lost confidence in the mare.
“She's run very hard, we've always believed in her so much and really felt that she deserved to be a stakes winner, and a graded stakes winner now. I'm very happy for her.”
Millie Girl, who was bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry from the Smart Strike mare Mendocino Beano, paid 10.70 to win.
The post ‘We’ve Always Believed In Her’: Millie Girl Scores Stakes Breakthrough In Ontario Matron appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
