Ami’s Mesa and jockey Luis Contreras dominated the featured $125,000 Seaway (Gr. 3) Stakes winning by open lengths on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack.
Ami’s Mesa was one of three Josie Carroll trainees in the seven furlong sprint for fillies and mares three years old and up contested on the Woodbine main. Following back-to-back wins in her first two starts of the season including the Ontario Matron (Gr. 3) Stakes, Ami’s Mesa was the talk of the toteboard and sent postward as the 3-5 favourite.
After following in fifth-place through panels of :23.24, :45.89 and 1:10.19, Contreras maneuvered Ami’s Mesa between horses on the turn and passed the filly’s front-striding barn buddy Salty Breeze (Emma-Jayne Wilson) in upper stretch to win going away in 1:22.17. The final margin was six and a quarter lengths. Sky My Sky (Patrick Husbands) tracked the pacesetter and went by that rival in the stretch to finish second while Tulsa Queen (Willie Martinez) got up for third at the rail over Crumlin Spirit (David Moran).
“I got a perfect trip and I let her make a move from the middle of the turn and she just smoked everyone,” said Contreras after the race.
Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, the four-year-old Sky Mesa-Victorious Ami filly earned her third win in as many starts this year and fifth victory overall. She has banked almost $295,000 in just eight races for owner Ivan Dalos.
“I think she’s as good as she can be. I thought she was explosive today,” said Carroll. “These nice horses don’t come along too often, I’m very fortunate.”
Ami’s Mesa paid $3.30, $2.40 and $2.10. She combined with Sky My Sky ($3.60, $3.10) for a 5-1 exactor worth $12.30. A 5-1-3 triactor (Tulsa Queen, $4.20) paid $39.30 and a $1 superfecta of 5-1-3-9 (Crumlin Spirit) returned $263.05.
Kylla Instinct, Gliding By, Blurricane and Salty Breeze completed the finish order. Hot Kiss was scratched after running loose prior to the race. The mare and dismounted jockey Slade Callaghan emerged unscathed from the incident.
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