Witwatersrand, under an enterprising ride from Patrick Husbands, took top prize in the $150,000 Mazarine Stakes (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.
The 1 1/16-mile main track event attracted a field of six 2-year-old fillies, including Gary Barber's Witwatersrand, a daughter of Connect, bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and trained by dual hall of fame conditioner Mark Casse.
Mystic Lake broke sharply and was guided to the lead by Tyler Conner as Uphill Dance grabbed a seat in second and was followed by Witwatersrand, 3-5 choice Tripolina, Simply in Front and That Girl Artemus through an opening quarter reached in :24.31.
It was status quo through a half in :48.91 with Mystic Lake holding a half-length advantage over Uphill Dance, while Husbands kept a patient hand aboard Witwatersrand, who continued to track from along the rail in third.
Mystic Lake was still on top heading into the final turn, but Uphill Dance, Witwatersrand and a circling Tripolina loomed as major threats to the frontrunner. In midstretch, Husbands roused his charge off the rail and the pair seized control quickly as Tripolina came calling.
Witwatersrand had plenty in reserve and drew away in the final yards for a confident 2¾-length triumph in a time of 1:43.72.
“No matter who she works with in the morning, she'll play with them,” said Husbands. “She is a nice filly, and Mark knows, everybody knows, she's a nice filly.”
It was the second straight stakes engagement for Witwatersrand (named for the approximately 35-mile-long, north-facing scarp found in South Africa), who was third in the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes on October 15. She broke her maiden in her debut, a three-quarter length score at 6½ furlongs over the Woodbine Tapeta on September 1.
Witwatersrand topped this year's Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale when she sold out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment for US$230,000. Her dam is the Medaglia d'Oro mare Carta de Oro.
She paid $10.30 for the Mazarine win.
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