Small but mighty CANADIANSWEETHEART (Ransom the Moon – Terri’s Pass by War Front) took a big jump into the Sweet Briar Too Stakes for three-year-olds fillies from an optional claiming race win and took down the $125,000 turf sprint at 36-to-1. Owned by Chris Manohar and trained by Renico Lafond, Canadiansweetheart was making just her third start on grass but under jockey Leo Salles, she reeled in graded stakes-placed shipper Clitheroe (GB) to win the 6 furlong dash in 1:08.68. Piano Bar Racing’s Talk to Ya Later rallied for second over Clitheroe.
Manohar and Lafond were just two of a few owner and trainer combos winning on Saturday with horses in the King’s Plate on Sunday.
Bred by James Everatt and the late Janeane Everatta and Arika Everatt-Meeuse, Canadiansweetheart was claimed by young trainer Lafond for $25,000 on May 5. The filly, who won three of 10 races as a two-year-old last year for Keith Edwards, won three races for trainer Martin Drexler this year. She has won twice for Manohar and Lafond, giving her eight wins in 17 races. She has earned $221,368.
“When I first got her, she was very, very hyper,” said Lafond, who has trained a few horses each year since 2011 before building up his numbers in the last two season. “I had to get to relax a little bit. I accomplished that part, getting her to learn to relax and chill, and I thought she would go long, but she gets tired. I will try it later on, but not now. I’m quite happy. We did it. Here we are. I hope tomorrow [King’s plate with Morstachy’s] is the same result.”
Added Manohar, “She always gives us 100 per cent when she runs. She has such a big heart. She’s just like us. We’re underdogs, we’re young and we’re trying. Today, she proved the underdog can always win too.”
Canadiansweetheart was bought back as a weanling for $20,000 and again as a yearling at the 2021 CTHS Ontario sale. She was then purchased by Racing Canada for just $3,000 from the 2021 Mixed Sale as a yearling.
She is by the young sire Ransom the Moon, a Canadian-bred by Malibu Moon and a Grade 1 winning sprinter. Canadiansweetheart is from his first crop. Terri’s Pass, the dam of the Sweet Briar Too winner, won six races from 40 starts and $173,000. She has produced a winner foaled in 2019 and current two-year-old Moonsplash.
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WAR BOMBER (Ire) posted a mild upset in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes as the five-year-old gelding, owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Norm McKnight, engaged graded stakes winner Treason in the stretch and won narrowly in a fast time of 1:32.41 for the one mile on turf.
War Bomber was ridden by Rico Walcott, who had ridden the son of War Front to a second-place finisher in the Connaught Cup on July 23. War Bomber was claimed by Schickedanz for $25,000 in 2021 after the Irish-bred had won his maiden for trainer Mark Casse for $40,000. Since then the bay has won the Toronto Cup on turf and the Grade 3 Seagram Cup on tapeta. He has seven wins from 19 races and earnings of $396,230. He is half-brother to Grade 1 winner Lancaster Bomber and Group 1 winner Excelebration.
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Also winning on Saturday was Raroma Stables and trainer Kevin Attard, who will start Philip my Dear in the King’s Plate. They won with Rockstar Ro in a $7,500 claiming dash. And Chiefswood Stable and trainer Layne Giliforte won a route race for $40,000 claiming with Uptown Lights. The owners and trainer have longshot Touch’n Ride in the Plate.
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