Brazil’s Champion Two-Year-Old of 2019, FILO DI ARIANNA (BRZ), was a mystery when he broke out of the gate for the third race at Woodbine on June 27 – but not much of one at the finish. The chestnut 5-year-old horse (born in September five years ago, thus on the southern hemisphere breeding schedule) charged past multiple graded stakes winner Silent Poet to win the seven furlong turf sprint, a prep for the July 18 Connaught Cup (G3) in a sizzling 1:19.97 for a big 95 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
Purchased privately by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch, the son of Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer won three races in the spring of 2019 by a total of 27 1/4 lengths including a Grade 2 and Grade 3. He had not raced since and was still in Florida training with Mark Casse in late May before logging two workouts at Woodbine. Emma-Jayne Wilson, currently leading Woodbine’s rider standings, was on board.
Sunday’s racing, held in searing heat, was another day of longshots and barns getting their first winners.
STERLING ICE won his maiden in race 1 for Spencer Casey and trainer Mike Wright, the first win for the connections and the horse. The Frac Daddy gelding was bred by Casey.
Ted Knight had AM PREPARED well prepared as he posted a 29-to-1 upset in race 2 for $10,000 claiming on the grass. The More Than Ready gelding was blanked in 9 races in 2020 but was razor sharp off a seven-month layoff. Keveh Nicholls rode and that was his eighth winner of the meeting.
SHE’S GOT MOVES rallied late under Wilson to win her maiden in race 4, her season opener for John LeBlanc. Bred by Sam-Son Farms, the five-year-old mare is by Distorted Humor.
Race 5 saw GLORIANNIA, owned by Doug Reddington, win her maiden as a longshot for trainer Sylvain pion who was celebrating his birthday. The white-faced English Channel mare, also a five-year-old maiden, was ridden by Jeff Alderson.
Classy seven-year-old CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, who has spent much of the last few years chasing Pink Lloyd, ended a winless streak with a win in an optional claiming race for $60,000 for Keowee Racing and Don MacRae. Ridden by Patrick Husbands, Circle of Friends, bred by Ericka Rusnak, was let go at surprisingly long odds of 12-to-1.
ENTRY TO HEAVEN looks like a nice purchase for Mike Doyle and Bill Duffy, as the four-year-old won his first race for them and first race since September in race 7, an allowance worth $101,200. Bought for $20,000 from a Stronach Stables dispersal at the January Ocala Mixed Sale, the Point of Entry fellow won his maiden in three starts for Stronach and Doyle. David Moran rode.
Trainer MIKE KEOGH not only sent out his first winner on Sunday, but he also owns part of the filly SCATTER THE CLOUDS, who took her career debut in the five-furlong turf race. Keogh, Don Howard and Zack Cameron (partner of longtime Keogh staffer Amanda Erin) bought the sophomore filly by Langfuhr for $47,000 at the CTHS Ontario sale in 2019. She is a half-sister to good ones like Sweet Grass Creek, Will She and Wandofuhr. It was the second winner for David Moran on Sunday.
Barber and Casse won again on Sunday when SPEEDY HANS took race 9 and put up a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure. The Constitution four-year-old won his first two starts at Woodbine last year and was returning after a modest Turfway Park stint. Kazushi Kimura rode. In this race, stakes winner LATONKA, coming off a four-year layoff for trainer Denyse McClachrie, finished a strong second.
John Menary and Gail Cox celebrated a win with the handsome Reload gelding ALL CANADIAN in the finale at six furlongs on the grass. The three-year-old, bred by Curtis Landry and Highfeld Investments in Alberta, led most of the way under Gary Boulanger to win his season debut.
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