With just 16 days to the 70th Woodbine Oaks, the 1 1/8 mile Canadian classic does not have any standout three-year-old filly and that could mean a large field going for the bulk of the $500,000 purse on July 20.
Current Woodbine Oaks top contender on Canadian Thoroughbred‘s list, LOVE AND POETRY, did not fare well in the Wild Applause Stakes at Saratoga on July 3, finishing sixth and last in the one mile turf race.
That leaves a smattering of fillies who have done well showing speed in races, a few of them stakes winners, as the main players for the Oaks.
It is indeed anyone’s race.
A trio of fillies from the MARK CASSE stable have stakes wins and hefty Beyer Figures, although all three are a bit suspect at the nine-furlong distance.
SHIFTY (Medaglia d’Oro), winner of the Catch a Glimpse Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf last year as well as troubled fringe placings in the Grade 3 Grey and Princess Elizabeth, began this year the right way. The D.J. Stable filly won a seven furlong optional race with a smart 85 Beyer Figure, romping by more than nine lengths in a front-running power trip under Sahin Civaci.
In her latest, the Fury Stakes at seven furlongs, she was not as convincing, although she was wrangled off the pace while another speedy stablemate, WINTERBERRY, led all the way to win. Shifty received an 81 Beyer, Winterberry, an 86.
There is not much reason Shifty cannot win at 1 1/8 miles pedigree-wise, but she has to show much passing power.
Winterberry, by Frosted and also owned by D.J. Stable, is somewhat of a quirky type who appears to be a sprinter. She won the Glorious Song Stakes at 7 furlongs as a two-year-old and then was fifth in two stakes outings. She easily controlled the pace in the Fury under a smart ride by Patrick Husbands.
NO TIME, by Not This Time, was a distant fourth in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on June 28, the only two-turn ‘prep’ race for the Oaks and that event is open to horses bred elsewhere. Gary Barber’s gal, who was too rank early in the Selene, has at least won two route races, but she led from start to finish in each victory. She has some stamina on her dam’s side, as No Time’s dam has produced Grade 1-winning miler Count Again, among others.
David Anderson bred Shifty and Winterberry, while James and Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse bred No Time.
The Princess Elizbeth Stakes winner of 2024, ARISTELLA, may well be the most logical contender in this year’s Oaks, as she will be stretching out in distance off two sprints this year. Trained by Rachel Halden for Flying Zee Stable, Aristella has not been flashy – she earned a 69 Beyer in her PE win – but a solid pace in front of her in the Oaks can set the race up nicely for her.
The daughter of More Than Ready added Lasix for the Ruling Angel Stakes on May 17 and was a mild fifth behind US invader Brindi, and then an even fourth behind Winterberry in the Fury. Aristella was bred by Peter Berglar Racing Interests LLC and Anderson Farms.
A very interesting face in the Oaks is REVELER’S ROW, who has only had two career races, but was picked to win her debut by Canadian Thoroughbred on May 25 and she won at 7-to-1 at 6 1/2 furlongs. The Mucho Macho Man filly came back with a front-running try against older horses in an optional claiming race ($32,000) and was caught very late by Aspen Dawn. Reveler’s Row, trained by Katerina Vassilieva for TEC Racing, earned a 76 Beyer Figure.
Reveler’s Row was bred by Adena Springs.
One cannot discount the KEVIN ATTARD stable when it comes to big races, in particular the Oaks. Attard has won three of the last four Oaks.
His contenders this year are stakes winner BRENGUNGIRL (Point of Entry) and the maiden D’AURUM (Medaglia d’Oro). Both continue to have good workouts, but they have underachieved this year.
INNISFREE ISLE (Bolt d’Oro) won a route race second time out in her career for trainer Catherine Day Phillips and is an Oaks hope. SNATCHED, from the Mike DePaulo barn, just won her maiden at 7 furlongs and stablemates XARABELLA and R CANADIAN APPLE have shown flashes of talent.
I have changed up the top 10 list for the Oaks, a bit based on possible race set-up and a smaller sample size:
CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED’S TOP 10 WOODBINE OAKS Contenders
July 4 2025
1. Shifty – tr. Mark Casse; Catch a Glimpse S., 3rd Grade 3 Grey, strong sprint win in seasonal bow; 3rd in Fury
2. Aristella – tr. Rachel Halden; won Princess Elizabeth S. as a 2-year-old, 4th in Fury Stakes
3. Reveler’s Row – tr. Katerina Vassilieva. Debut winner, 2nd to older rivals in 1 1/8 mile allowance race
4 . No Time – tr – Mark Casse; rank in Selene Stakes, Posted a 79 Beyer Figure winning an allowance race at Woodbine
5. Brengungirl – tr. Kevin Attard; stakes winner at 2, good 6 furlong work, 1:13 on July 2
6. Love and Poetry – tr. Cherie Deveaux, 2nd LaCombe Memorial on turf, FG; 6th Wild Applause S.
7. Iniisfree Isle – tr. Catherine Day Phillips – maiden winner, 64 Beyer, at 1 1/16 miles
8. Winterberry – tr. Mark Casse; multiple stakes winner, speedy
9. D’Aurum – tr. Kevin Attard; maiden will like the distance
10. Xarabella – tr. Mike DePaulo, maiden, speedy, 77 Beyer Figure
also on the bubble, R Canadian Apple, Snatched, D’Aurum.
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