Only two horses have won their maidens in the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the third jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown (in over 100 years) but on Sunday, September 29, chances are good that a guy or a gal could get their first win in the 1 1/2 mile classic.
The Breeders’, run over the E.P. Taylor turf course, clearly illustrates the serious horse population situation facing Canadian tracks this year. The average size of the Breeders’ field in the last 20 years has been just over 11 but this year’s field has just seven and four of them are non-winners.
The race is missing the winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown. King’s Plate winner CAITLYNHERGRTNESS has started back working but seems destined for an alternate three-year-old race in the coming weeks. VITALITY, the Prince of Wales Stakes winner, was not entered in the Breeders’ by Stronach Stables. As the Plate, ‘Wales and Breeders’ are held much later these days (since COVID), it is not a surprise that the three-year-old ranks have thinned out.
Of the three winners entered, the filly HURRICANE CLAIR (Silent Name (Jpn) has more wins than the entire field combined and is the only stakes winner in the field. In fact, she just won the 10 furlong Wonder Where Stakes on the grass, the third leg of the Triple Tiara in a good clocking and will likely be favoured in the Breeders’.
Hurricane Clair is owned by Albertans David Rowbotham and partners and trained by Martin Drexler, who seeks his first win in a Canadian classic. The filly, bred by Helen Bruno, has three wins in 10 races and had been third in the Woodbine Oaks and second in the Bison City. Sahin Civaci returns to ride.
A trio from Chiefswood Stables would seem to have the best chance of toppling the favourite since the farm specializes in breeding for classic distances and it has won two editions of the race in the past six years.
ROSCAR (Oscar Performance, SACCHARINE (Noble Mission (GB)) and SIDE STREET (Kitten’s Joy) give Chiefswood a strong hand. Rachel Halden, who prepared Camp Creek to win the 2016 Breeders’ for Hillsbrook Farm, trains Roscar and Saccharine while Layne Gilifote, who won last year’s Breeders’ with Touch’n Ride, conditions Side Street.
Roscar, a maiden winner last fall at 7 furlongs on the Tapeta, did not compete in the Plate or the ‘Wales but he was a good third in a 10 furlong turf optional claiming event against older horses on Aug. 11 with an 82 Beyer Figure. Roscar’s sire Oscar Performance was a multiple Grade 1 winner at 10 furlongs.
The filly Saccharine is a maiden who has been getting closer to her maiden win in long turf races. She competed in the Wonder Where against Hurricane Clair and was third while still gaining. And Side Street, also a maiden, is by classic turf marathon sire Kitten’s Joy and this gelding’s first start on grass saw him battle for the lead throughout 10 furlongs and miss by a nose.
Of the three other Breeders’ starters, the maiden KING ROSSO, for Al and Bill Ulwelling, was third behind Side Street in that 10 furlong maiden contest.
