Taking full advantage of the absence of the mighty Moira, winner of the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate, SISTER SEAGULL won her second straight race in the Triple Tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies in the Wonder Where Stakes on Sept. 11 at Woodbine.
The stretch-running daughter of Hard Spun – Sweet Kitten by Kitten’s Joy was making her grass debut in the 10 furlong Wonder Where following her neck win in the Bison City Stakes on Aug. 14.
There were just six fillies entered in the Wonder Where and it was Strega who set the early pace of 26.27 and 51.69 with Sam-Son Farms’ Swoop to Finish tracking. Another Sam-Son filly, Whimsical Dance, was made the heavy race favourite based on her debut win on the turf and she stalked the leaders while Sister Seagull and jockey Antonio Gallardo bided her time.
The chestnut came off the final turn needing to track down Swoop to Finish, who continued to run determinedly to the inside. Sister Seagull eventually got onto even terms with her rival and wore down that gutsy foe to record a one-length triumph in 2:04.65 over firm going. Devil’s Bit was third and Whimsical Dance fourth.
The Beyer Figure was 78.
“I had to check just a little bit,” said Gallardo, of the less-than-ideal start. “But thank God it’s one mile and a quarter because you have plenty of time to figure out and pull everything together again. She’s a nice filly. I liked her more today because of the distance. It’s perfect for her. I feel like she’s more on the bridle on the turf. Today, everything was beautiful… really easy today.”
The Fitzhenrys concentrate on breeding horses from a boutique set of mares and race horses they do not sell. Sister Seagull was bought back for $95,000 from the 2020 Keeneland September Sale. They have a full brother to the filly in this week’s Keeneland sale, hip no. 1638.
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