Toronto, ON – A full field of 14 will go postward Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, the most prestigious event in the country for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies.
Post time for the 54th edition of the mile and one-eighth classic over Woodbine’s Polytrack is 5:10 pm ET, with The Score televising a special one-hour show from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. All fillies will carry 121 pounds, with the winner earning $300,000.
The post position draw took place at WEGZ Stadium Bar in Vaughan at noon today, with Toronto Raptors forward and National Basketball Association star Chris Bosh as Woodbine’s special guest. Last year, Stronach Stables’ Ginger Brew went off as the 3-5 choice in the Oaks and demolished the field, winning by six lengths. This year, there appears to be no such standout.
Trainer Bob Baffert is sending California-based Wynning Ride, the morning line 5-2 favourite, to Woodbine for the first time, to meet, amongst the locals, Tasty Temptation and Milwaukee Appeal, the second and third choices, respectively, at 7-2 and 6-1. Wynning Ride, (PP7, 5-2) a $120,000 Keeneland yearling purchase for owner Arnold Zetcher, has one win in four career starts and was runner-up last year to Laragh in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet to close out her juvenile campaign. This year, the daughter of Candy Ride has made just one start, a second-place finish in a six and one-half furlong allowance contest at Hollywood Park on May 14. She’ll be ridden by 19-year-old Joe Talamo, making his Canadian debut.
“She ran really well last year, but after the Starlet, I gave her some time off,” said Baffert. “We freshened her up and I’ve been pointing for this race all along. She’s a nice filly. I think she’s going to be very competitive and she’s coming up to the race really good.”
Woodford Racing’s Tasty Temptation (PP13, 7-2), trained by Mark Casse, will also command plenty of respect. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro closed quickly to finish second, just a half-length behind Hooh Why, in the mile and one-sixteenth La Lorgnette Stakes, May 17 at Woodbine. To be ridden by Patrick Husbands, Tasty Temptation, a $170,000 Keeneland yearling purchase, broke her maiden earlier this year at Santa Anita in her fifth career outing. Casse and Husbands combined to win the 2006 Oaks with Kimchi and the 2007 edition with Sealy Hill.
“Obviously, I’d like to be a little closer in, but I’d rather be out there than inside, especially with the way our filly runs,” explained Casse. “She’ll have to run a little farther than some of the others, but I think that will be okay.”
C.E.C. Farms’ homebred Milwaukee Appeal (PP4, 6-1), trained by Scott Fairlie, should also be well supported. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew is the field’s leading money winner, with $349,538 and boasts a record of four wins in eight starts. Last year, the bay filly took the Ontario Lassie, after a runner-up finish in the Princess Elizabeth. This year, she opened her 2009 season by winning the six furlong Star Shoot Stakes, before finishing third to Hooh Why and Tasty Temptation in the La Lorgnette. She’ll be ridden for the first time by Canadian-born Stewart Elliott, who sprang to prominence as the rider of 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones.
“I’m very happy with it (post 4),” said Fairlie. “She’s very easy to ride and you can place her anywhere.”
Koonunga Hill (PP8, 20-1), trained by Steve Owens for Empress Stables, is another stakes winner in the field, having won two of nine career outings and $212,250. Last year, the homebred daughter of Wonneberg won the Ice Water on the turf. This year, in her most recent effort, she finished a closing second to Sans Sousi in the seven furlong Lady Angela. She’ll be ridden by two-time Sovereign Award winner Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Trainer Reade Baker, who won the 2005 Oaks with Gold Strike, will send out High Mist (PP9, 12-1), a three-time winner in six lifetime starts. Most recently second in the Fury Stakes, May 3, High Mist, owned by N.C. Stables and Partners, won the six-furlong Fanfreluche Stakes last year before failing as the odds-on choice in the Princess Elizabeth. Jim McAleney, who rode Gold Strike to victory in the 2005 Oaks, will ride.
Double Malt (PP11, 15-1), winner of last year’s South Ocean Stakes, will have Eurico Rosa da Silva aboard for trainer Malcolm Pierce. Bred by her co-owner Mike Ambler, the daughter of Whiskey Wisdom is a two-time winner in eight starts and was most recently fifth in the La Lorgnette.
Trainer Jim Day, a record five-time winner of the Oaks, will send out Cudney Stables’ Secret Wish (PP3, 30-1), a daughter of Street Cry. Day won in 1984 with Classy ‘N Smart, 1988 with Tilt My Halo, 1990 with Tiffany’s Secret, 1991 with Dance Smartly and 2003 with Too Late Now. Justin Stein, who has finished second in two Oaks, with Sweet Breanna in 2006 and Saskawea in 2007, retains the mount.
Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield will send out Charles Fipke’s homebred maiden Soul of Nataka (PP5, 30-1), a daughter of his millionaire multiple stakes winner Perfect Soul, with Richard Dos Ramos aboard. No maiden has ever won the Oaks but Attfield and Dos Ramos have each won the Oaks on three occasions, and teamed twice to do so, in 1986 with Playlist and 1994 with Plenty Of Sugar. Attfield’s other win came with Capdiva in 1997, while Dos Ramos took the 2002 renewal with Ginger Gold.
Trainer Mike Keogh will send out a pair for owner Gus Schickedanz – homebreds First Circle and Politelyprecocious, both daughters of Langfuhr. First Circle (PP6, 20-1), to be ridden by Jono Jones, broke her maiden in her career debut this year, before finishing second in an allowance race. She’s a full sister to Marlang, who won last year’s Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine and the Saranac Stakes at Saratoga, both on turf.
Politelyprecocious (PP2, 15-1) is also a one-time winner in six outings, most recently finishing seventh in the La Lorgnette. Constant Montpellier, whose best Oaks finish came aboard runner-up Montgomery Belle in 1997, will be the pilot.
Chiefswood Stable also has two homebred silk-bearers for the Oaks for conditioner Eric Coatrieux. Gore Bay (PP10, 15-1), a daughter of Dynaformer, broke her maiden in her last outing at one and one-sixteenth miles on May 13 and will be handled by Chantal Sutherland. Indigo North (PP1, 20-1), a maiden daughter of Grand Slam, was fourth to her stablemate last out and will be ridden by Tyler Pizarro.
NYKY Thoroughbred Stable’s Academicienne (PP12, 20-1), a recent purchase, will make her North American debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey Alan Garcia. The Ontario-bred daughter of Royal Academy has won three of five career starts, all on the turf in France, but has never raced further than one mile.
Trainer Joe Orseno, who saddled Roaring Twenties to a runner-up finish to Touch Dial in the 1999 Oaks, is sending Miss Blakely (PP14, 12-1), a daughter of Smart Strike, from Monmouth Park. Owned by Capitol Hill Thoroughbreds and Team Five Star Farm, Miss Blakely has won three of her six career starts, including the Boynton Beach at Gulfstream Park in her latest, April 18, but all of her wins have come on the lawn. Eibar Coa
has been named to ride her for the first time.
The Woodbine Oaks is the first leg in the filly Triple Tiara, followed by the mile and one-sixteenth $250,000 Bison City Stakes, June 28, then the mile and one-quarter, $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, July 25 on the turf, both also at Woodbine.
The record time for the mile and one-eighth Oaks is 1:48 4/5 seconds, set by Square Angel in 1973. Regent Miss ($345.80) in 1981 is the longest-priced winner while champion Dance Smartly produced the lowest win payoff ($2.10) in 1991. The largest winning margin in the race’s history was Avowal’s 13-length tally in 1982.
The last six winners of the Oaks have gone on to win Sovereign Awards as Canada’s top three-year-old filly.
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