Monday’s Yearling Sales Stakes program at Woodbine will go into the Woodbine record books as a memorable day for the underdog.

Through six races, not one favorite prevailed and the average mutual payout was $20.80. The early Pick4, composed of all stakes, rewarded four clever 20-cent ticketholders with payouts of over $14,000.

Trainer names normally associated with Yearling Sales Stakes success were basically shut out from the $750,000 in purses.

Among the day’s highlights were first-career stakes scores for apprentice jockey Omar Moreno, who guided Invitation Only to the day’s longest-priced ($43.80) victory, and Elizabeth Charalambous, who had Secret Wish perfectly prepared for her off-the-pace Algoma tally ($28). “None of the favorites were winning today. So, I knew I had a shot,” said Charalambous. “I’m so excited. I’m proud of this horse. She was fairly wide on the turn. She dug right in.”

Jim McAleney won two of the six $125,000 events, guiding Secret Wish to a one-length score in the Algoma and going wire-to-wire with Mesa Cielo in the Elgin to kick off the day.

Richard Dos Ramos, Slade Callaghan and Justin Stein were the afternoon’s three other stakes-winning jockeys. Reade Baker, Bill Tharrenos, Ian Black, Dave Cotey and Analisa Delmas were the day’s other five stakes-winning conditioners.

The Select session of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Canadian-bred Yearling Sale starts at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion on the backstretch.

The Open session is slated for Saturday, September 11, also at 2 p.m.

ELGIN
– Harlequin Ranches Mesa Cielo ($14.50) upset heavily favored Sand Cove in the $125,000 Elgin Stakes. The son of Sky Mesa led at every call, under Jim McAleney, and finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of Mobthewarrior. Sand Cove was third. The Reade Baker trainee stopped the teletimer in 1:43.98.

KENORA
– Don Cole’s Don’s Folly ($9.70) rallied from well back to finish a neck in front of Drunken Love to win the $125,000 Kenora Stakes. For the Ian Black-trained five-year-old son of Tethra, the Kenora was his fourth career tally and his first added-money score since the 2007 Simcoe Stakes. Under jockey Slade Callaghan, Don’s Folly covered six furlongs in 1:09.39.

HALTON
– Fieldstone Farms charge Guipago ($19) snatched victory away from 1-2 shot Society’s Chairman in the $126,600 Halton Stakes. A winner by a half-length, Guipago covered one mile over a ‘good’ turf course in 1:37.03. He is trained by Analisa Delmas and was ridden to victory by Justin Stein.

SIMCOE
– Dave Cotey trainee Invitation Only ($43.80) was a dominant 1 ¾-length winner of the $127,800 Simcoe Stakes. The seven-furlong contest was the first career added-money score for winning apprentice jockey Omar Moreno. A maiden no longer, Invitation Only is owned by Dominion Bloodstock, Derek Ball and HGHR Inc. Top Pit Boss rallied for second.

Wonder Phil was third.

ALGOMA
– Cudney Stables charge Secret Wish ($28) rallied from well off the pace to capture the $127,000 Algoma Stakes. Under jockey Jim McAleney, Secret Wish was the first career stakes win for trainer Elizabeth Charalambous.

The four-year-old daughter of Street Cry travelled 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.66.

MUSKOKA
– Lucky Be Me ($12.70), owned by A. Alber and Natural Eight Stable, fought off her favored stablemate Tree Pose to take the $127,400 Muskoka Stakes by a nose. Both stakes-winning fillies are trained by Bill Tharrenos. Lucky Be Me was ridden by Richard Dos Ramos. The daughter of Peaks and Valleys stopped the teletimer in 1:23.78.

For full recaps on each stakes race click on:

http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/Woodbine/News/Pages/NewsNotes.aspx

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