Two-year-olds by Ontario stallions will compete in a pair of stakes races at 7 furlongs on turf this Sunday, September 24 at Woodbine. The races, the $100,000 Bull Page for colts and the $100,000 Victorian Queen for fillies are each part of the late Pick 4 wager.
Both stakes offer a chance of a nice payday for some of the smaller stables in Ontario, owners and breeders. Thomas Knizet’s Tara Horse Farm, Inc. is co-owner and breeder of probable Bull Page favourite MEKO MAKEE, a son of the farm’s stallion Hyper from the mare Miss Curly Q by Estevan. Meko Makee was third in his career debut before speeding to a six-length maiden win on August 19 on the Tapeta.
The bay gelding, whose sire loved the turf, notching many wins including the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes, is co-owned by Natural Eight Stable and trained by Bill Tharrenos.
Since the maiden win, Meko Makee has had three good workout times on the training turf including a bullet 59.20 on Sept. 17. Omar Moreno will ride Meko Makee and they start from post 1 in the 6-horse field.
“He’s worked really well on the grass and he’s coming into the race in great shape,” said Tharrenos. “There are going to be some nice horses in this race, but we have a good one too. He’s just a nice all-round horse. He loves to sleep, but I like that. He works hard, then he knows how to rest up and be ready.” Barry Sterling is the groom.
Two juveniles who recently chased the now-Grade 1 placed My Boy Prince in that one’s 14-length win in the Simcoe Stakes will also attract attention. YACHT BOY, a son of turf lover and good turf sire Old Forester, beat everyone but My Boy Prince in the Simcoe. Yacht Boy is owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable, trained by Norm McKnight and bred by Susan Foreman. Rico Walcott rides. Just behind Yacht Boy in the Simcoe was SUMMER COMMANDER, a son of turf stakes winner Society’s Chairman from the top Canadian mare Dancing Allstar. The bay colt is owned by Anne and William Scott, trained by Stuart Simon and he was bred by Track West Stables. Rafael Hernandez rides.
The Bull Page is named for the 1951 Canadian Horse of the Year and subsequent Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee who won the Canadian International, among other races.
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Six fillies will compete in the Victorian Queen, named for a Canadian- bred stakes winner and Grade 1 producing mare. NEVER SILENT, a daughter of Silent Name (Jpn) owned and bred by Willow Pond Stable and trained by Catherine Day Phillips, was recently third in the open Catch a Glimpse Stakes and another Silent Name filly, OLIVIA ROSE, owned and bred by Gabe Grossberg, just won her maiden by 13 3/4 lengths for trainer Mark Casse. A third daughter of Silent Name, HURRICANE CLAIR, just won her maiden in the Muskoka Stakes by 5 1/2 lengths.
~ with files from Woodbine media
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