Simcoe sizzles in Grade 3 Vigil Stakes
Simcoe, under Rafael Hernandez, worked hard early and dug in late to win Saturday’s $150,000 Branded Cities Vigil Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.
A son of Uncle Mo out of the Pulpit mare Aurora Lights, Simcoe arrived at the seven-furlong main track race for three-year-olds and up off a spectacular 5 ¾-length score at 6 ½ furlongs in the Bold Venture Stakes (G3) on August 16, which marked his first added-money win. He might have been even more impressive this time.
Victory Achieved grabbed the early lead, but Simcoe, who won the Bold Venture in front-running fashion, struck front after steady urging from Hernandez to hold a head advantage through a sharp opening quarter in :22.21.
The dark bay continued to roll along on the front end and upped his lead to two lengths over Twin City through a half in :44.21, followed by Victory Achieved and I’m A Gambler (IRE).
Around the turn, a host of foes came calling, including Horsepower, who had burst between rivals at the top of the lane and set his sights on Simcoe, as well as Cruden Bay, who drove forward with a lively inside run.
On top by 1 ½ lengths at the stretch call, Simcoe, trained by Katerina Vassilieva, was resolute to the wire, going on to secure a 1 ¾-length win. Horsepower was second, one length ahead of Cruden Bay. Twin City was fourth. The final time was 1:21.19.
“When the gates opened, he was laying back, and then he missed the break a little bit,” said Hernandez. “But I hustled to get in the lead, and you can see what he can do.”
“He’s been training really well since his last race, and just feeling like the man, feeling full of himself and really confident,” added Vassilieva. “And I was confident in him, but, of course, you never know if they’re going to give you a bounce. I was hoping it wasn’t going to be today. And you know, he proved that he’s still on his game.”
A homebred (Ontario) for Chiefswood Stables Limited, the 5-year-old gelding is now 7-4-0 from 19 starts and 5-4-0 over his past nine races. Jamar Goddard is the groom.
Simcoe paid $4.60 for the win.
Souper Diva and jockey Jose Campos winning the Victorian Queen Stakes on September 14, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Souper Diva delivers in Victorian Queen
Souper Diva, under Jose Campos, was resolute throughout Sunday’s $100,000 Victorian Queen Stakes for two-year-old Ontario-sired fillies at Woodbine.
Trained by Steven Chircop for 6 Deep Stable, the daughter of Souper Speedy out of the Sharp Humor mare Secret Chords came into the 6 ½-furlong race for Ontario-sired two-year-old fillies off a sterling front-running score in the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes on August 24. It was more of the same on Sunday.
Campos had Souper Diva, the slight 2-1 choice, ready to roll from the start, the duo storming to the lead early and resisting mild pressure, as Arianna’s Tour and Sipping History settled into second and third, respectively, through an opening quarter of :22.48.
Souper Diva was two lengths on top after a half in :45.85, but Sipping History began to ratchet up the pressure to her outside turning for home, while the latter’s stablemate, Pageant Queen, was rolling three-wide, looking to confront the leader in early stretch.
Sipping History continued to apply pressure to Souper Diva down the lane, but to no avail. At the wire, Souper Diva was two lengths clear in a time of 1:17.84. Sipping History was 3 ½ lengths ahead of Pageant Queen, who bested Arianna’s Tour by a head for third.
“Like last time, the filly broke well and broke in front by herself,” said Campos, who was also aboard for the Muskoka victory. “I said to Steve that I didn’t want to change anything today. The filly ran hard last time, so we are going to do the same.
“She ran fast the whole way around. She never stopped. At the quarter pole when I asked her to go, she responded. She’s tiny, but she’s a big-hearted filly.”
Chircop had high praise for the maturation his rookie has shown over her past two starts. “I think it took her a couple starts to figure out her job. Work-wise, she has been working phenomenally. She worked really good going into her last race and the work in the interim was really good. I knew that if anybody wanted to go with her, they were going to be punished early.”
Bred by Northern Dawn Stables Inc., Souper Diva was a $23,000 purchase at the 2024 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale. The dark bay, now 3-0-0 from five starts, paid $6.10 for the win.
Silver Is Best is best in Bull Page
Silver Is Best struck stakes gold in the $100,000 Bull Page, a 6 ½-furlong main track event for Ontario-sired two-year-old colts and geldings, Sunday at Woodbine.
Silver Is Best and jockey David Moran winning the Bull Page Stakes on September 14, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Last time out, Silver Is Best was a disappointing sixth in the Simcoe Stakes on August 24. This time, it was the exact opposite outcome for the Bill Tharrenos trainee.
It was stablemate and Simcoe Stakes victor Big Bold and First who broke on top, but the bay gelding was quickly engaged by King Ronin. The two pacesetters threw down the gauntlet early, taking their four rivals through an opening quarter in :22.44, as Silver Is Best settled into fourth along the backstretch.
Big Bold and First and King Ronin continued to match strides after a half in :45.90, but first-time starter B the King glided up to the duo around the turn for home and then seized command. Silver Is Best, under David Moran, picked up the chase, but had plenty of work to do to collar the new leader.
Silver Is Best, 1 ½ lengths behind B the King at the stretch call, continued to grind away and was able to wrest the lead from his rival with less than 75 yards to the wire.
At the finish, Silver Is Best was 2 ¼ lengths on top. Bank On Big Winner, another Tharrenos trainee, was six lengths behind B the King for third. Big Bold and First was fourth. The final time was 1:18.78.
“It (the trip) was perfect,” said Moran. “We thought he would win his last race and for whatever reason, it didn’t happen for him. He kicked in nice today. He was actually much more relaxed pre-race and left the gate really good. I just waited to get clear and he kicked in like we thought he could.
“When he works and he has one sitting on his outside or inside, he will just drag you past them. He just loves to run.”
Tharrenos was happy to see his young pupil, owned by Michael Coll, back in the winner’s circle. “I was a little shocked, to tell you the truth,” said Tharrenos, of the off-the-board Simcoe finish. “We have been teaching him to relax and finish up and that’s the way it set up today. I was just proud of the horse. He’s a pretty anxious horse. He was anxious last time in the paddock. Today, he was a little more mature. These youngsters, they can blow a race pretty early at the start or in the paddock. But it all worked out today.”
It was the first stakes success for the bay son of Signature Red out of the Scat Daddy mare Scatter the Silver, who is now 2-0-1 from four starts. The gelding, bred by Howie Walton, was a $23,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2024 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale. Carlington White is the groom.
Silver Is Best, the 3-1 second choice, paid $8.40 for the win.
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