Spring may finally be in the air as Saturday, April 30 was a pleasant day in the Greater Toronto area. At Woodbine, the fifth racing day of the season was headlined by the $131,500 Star Shoot Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The Tapeta surface was sizzling fast but seemed to play fairly throughout the 10 races.
The Mark Casse barn, already off to a fast start at the meeting, had the odds in his favour to win the Star Shoot as it had three of the six starters. One of those was favoured Diabolic (Ire), a two-time stakes winner and three-time winner from four races in 2021 and a finalist for Champion 2-year-old filly in Canada.
But it was John Oxley’s long-striding Classic Empire filly BEAUTIFUL EMPIRE, who won on opening day of the meeting, who rallied late to win over Ontario-bred Aubrieta, the third Casse trainee.
Emma-Jayne Wilson engineered a super trip for the $320,000 yearling purchase despite a bit of a slow start from the gate. Miss Alacrity and Parlance dueled on the front end, with Howdyoumakeurmoney sitting third through an opening quarter-mile reached in :22.19.
The pacesetting duo continued to go very fast through a half-mile timed in :44.56, as the tightly-grouped field of six began to pick up the pace into the turn for home.
As the sophomore fillies straightened for the stretch drive, Wilson called an audible, guiding her filly to the inside as her stablemates, Diabolic and Aubrieta, began to rally to the outside, but ultimately their mate was too strong.
At the wire, Beautiful Empire was a 1 ½-length winner, with Aubrieta heading Diabolic for the place award. The final time was a fast 1:08.70, not far off Pink Lloyd’s record of 1:08.05.
This was the first stakes win at Woodbine for owner Oxley (not including partnerships) since 2015 when Sky Treasure won the Nassau Stakes (G2) on the grass.
While Patrick Husbands rode Beautiful Empire to that four-length romp in her Woodbine debut two weeks ago, he elected to ride Aubrieta, so Wilson picked up the mount.
“Mark [Casse] had messaged me and let me know to let her take a sit and come with a run similar to her race last time,” said Wilson. “She broke a little slower than I was expecting, but there was a lot of pace in the race – let her settle, let her get her legs, be happy.”
Wilson’s decision to take the inside track turned out to be a winning game plan.
“I was actually angling to go to the outside, and the rail kind of opened up. Good horses, when you ask them, they run. And that’s exactly what happened. She’s been running lights out the whole winter. She was primed for a big effort. It was a big effort last time and she stepped up again today.”
With the win, Beautiful Empire sports a mark of 3-1-1 from seven starts. She broke her maiden in her third race, a 2 ¾-length victory over five panels last December at Turfway Park.
Bred by Springhouse Farm, Beautiful Empire paid $9.20, $4.90, and $3, combining with Aubrieta ($4.70, $3) for a $35.80 exactor. Diabolic ($2.80) completed the all-Casse $100.50 triactor. Howdyoumakeurmoney rounded out a $1 superfecta (1-4-2-6) worth $135.05.
More from Saturday
On an all-fillies and mares card of racing there were several women trainers who celebrated their first wins of the 133-day meeting.
SNOW SQUALL, owned and trained by Debra Rombis, rallied in time to win the first race, a $15,000 claiming event at 6 1/2 furlongs. Ridden by Kirk Johnson, Snow Squall (Society’s Chairman – Nor’easter by Sahm, was making her first start of the year and only her second start in a sprint after seven career starts. She was bred by Chris Harris.
Gail Cox sent out her first winner of the year when FREDERCIA with Wilson riding, rallied to win her maiden in race 5 at 6 1/2 furlongs. Owned and bred in Ontario by Sangreal Investments, Inc., Fredericia (Point of Entry – Silimiss (GB) by Dansili (GB)) was offered for claiming for the first time in her fourth career start, racing for the $40,000 tag. She came from about three lengths off the pace and angled wide to win in 1:17.63.
Sarah Ritchie had her star mare NOVEMBER FOG ready to roll in her season debut in race 9, a seven furlong, $108,700 allowance race. The grey Frac Daddy – Molly Maguire,by Whiskey Wisdom 5-year-old, co-owned by Ritchie and Richard Moylan, track pacesetter Rosebud’s Hope, took the lead into the stretch and held on to win by a head over Maryland invader No Mo Lady. Her time was a sharp 1:22.45. November Fog has won 4 of 22 races and collected $65,220 for this win, pushing her earnings to over $263,000. She was bred by Box Arrow Farm in Ontario.
Race 2 went to 10-to-1 longshot NICE COMPANY (Get Stormy – Precious Audrey by Trappe Shot who was on the pace throughout this 5 1/2 furlong maiden race for $7,500 claiming. A fast filly who had placed just twice in 10 previous races, Nice Company was well prepared by Chris and Frank Huarte for the win. Eswan Flores won his 4th race of the meeting.
The winning machine mare known as ANTIGONE was happy to be back at Woodbine as she won the third race, a starter/optional race at seven furlongs. The 5-year-old mare by Carpe Diem was winning for the seventh time, fifth time at Woodbine, in her 25th start. She won four times in 2021 for owners Mary Self and Timothy Murray, had some time off and then was seventh in a route race at Gulfstream Park in March.Kazushi Kimura rode the winner and Zelko Krcmar was returning as her trainer for the first time in four races. The mare’s time was a fast 1:22.68.
Woodbine Oaks eligible Swinging Mandy, purchased privately by Gary Barber from Dale Desruisseaux, Rystwood Stable and Solo Racing, won her 3-year-old opener in race 4 with a gritty display but was disqualified for causing an inside rival, Moonlit Silence, to check on the turn. Placed first, and just a head back of Swinging Mandy was Track West Racing’s homebred SPIDER BELLE (Wicked Strong – Spider Dust by Broken Vow). Trained by Dan Vella, the grey 5-year-old mare, who won first time out in 2021, was 11-to-1 under David Moran in the optional claiming race ($40,000).
But Barber and trainer Casse got a win back in race 6 when heavily-favoured CONSITUTION GAL flew to a front-running win in a maiden allowance at 7 furlongs in 1:22.57. A grey Kentucky-bred by Constitution, Constitution Gal had raced at Belmont, Turfway and Keenland and was stakes-placed at 2 in 2021. Rafael Hernandez rode the winner.
SARATOGA VISION overcame a four-wide journey in a 1 1/16 mile allowance event, race 7, to win for owner and trainer Alex Patykewich. The Court Vision Kentucky-bred, who was 0-for-8 in 2021, albeit against much tougher, and 1-for-24 in her career, won by a head over favoured Song of Innocence under Jeff Alderson.
The day’s final race, a maiden optional claiming $25,000, went to Al and Bill Ulwelling’s LADY MAEVE (IRE) who was coming off four runs this winter at Fair Grounds. She had placed in her last three starts and was adding blinkers for trainer Kevin Attard. Gary Boulanger rode the daughter of Lawman (Fr). The seven furlong time was another quick clocking, 1:22.87. Lady Maeve was bought by the Ulwellings for $22,526 US from the 2020 Goffs October Sale.
Wagering on the day was a healthy $5.3 million.
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