Heavy rain hit the Toronto area early Sunday and that brought the Tapeta surface to life for the afternoon races and moved the grass events to the main track. While the times on the Tapeta were quicker than they have been through the week, the distinct outside bias that crushed inside speed and rail runners was still in full effect.
The featured race at Woodbine on September 25, the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward at 6 furlongs, lured Bold Venture stakes (G3) winner Secret Reserve and graded stakes-placed Candy Overload, recently purchased by Gary Barber, Leonard Schleifer and Wachtel Stable from Denny Andrews and Northern Dawn Stables. Candy Overload, an Ontario-sired and bred son of Reload, was a close second behind Secret Reserve in the Bold Venture and was sent off as favourite at 2-to-1 in the eight-horse field.
Lucky Score, fourth in the Bold Venture, proved to be the best stretch runner in the Vigil, however, closing late under Leo Salles, while widest with the bias to win by 1 1/4 lengths over speedster Rockcrest (Old Forester)
Rockcrest was a neck ahead of multiple stakes winner Secret Reserve, who edged Clayton by a nose for third. The final time was 1:08.63.
A claim of foul by the rider of Secret Reserve on the winner was disallowed.
“This is the third time I ride him,” said Salles. “On the second time, I finished second. I was pretty confident this time that we could grab the win. He was perfect. I’m just super happy.”
Owned by Domenic Liscio and Danny Iandoli, who were winning their first stakes race, it was the gelding’s fifth win, along with a pair of seconds and a third from 12 starts. The son of Lookin at Lucky – Miss Matzo by Royal Academy was trainer by Ralph Biamonte through most of 2021 and co-owned by Mary Biamonte until ownership and trainer changed late last season.
“I’ve been involved in horse racing for maybe four or five years,” said Liscio. “The bottom line is I want to thank Leo, but if there’s one guy I want to thank the most, it’s [trainer] Ralph Biamonte. He picked this horse out, we had him with him, and he did a lot of work as a baby with him. No disrespect to Willie, but wherever Ralph left off, Willie has continued to do a fantastic job.”
Lucky Score was bred by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse. Bought back for $50,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale, Lucky Score was purchased for $35,000 by the Biamontes at the June 2020 Ocala Two-Year-Olds in Training sale.
Miss Matzo, unplaced in one start, has produced seven other foals to race, all winners, including Captive Island Stakes winner Miss Matzoball.
Also on Sunday, the Ontario-bred 2-year-old first-time starter GEM QUALITY, by Souper Speedy from Carat Weight by Trajectory, was an impressive debut winner for owner/breeders Borders Racing and trainer Katerina Vassilieva. The half-brother to Grade 3 Marine Stakes winner Rondure stalled and then rallied wide on his way to a big win under Rafael Hernandez.
Trainer DALE DESRUISSEAUX sent out Beat the System to win an optional claiming/allowance race on Sunday, his 10th winner of the year (9 at Woodbine), his best season in his 10 years of training. Beat the System had been claimed by Desruisseaux for himself for $32,000 from a win in her last start.
Mark Casse continues to lead the trainer ranks with 81 wins, while Kevin Attard has 61 wins, getting close to his career best of 66.
More from Canadian Thoroughbred:
