Atlantic Hurricane, a chestnut daughter of Halo’s Image, took her second consecutive Ontario Fashion Stakes crown, nosing out a gutsy Youcan’tcatchme in Sunday’s Grade 3, $155,500 feature at Woodbine.
The five-year-old mare, under Luis Contreras, came into the six-furlong event off a fifth-place finish, as the favourite, in the Avowal Stakes (seven furlongs on the turf) on September 30 at the Toronto oval.
Prior to the Avowal, she was sixth to yesterday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint champion, Groupie Doll, in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes on September 8.
It was 16-1 Mo Jo Queen who took the eight-horse field through brisk early splits of :21.96 and :44.73. Contreras had Atlantic Hurricane within a length and a half of the pacesetter at the stretch call, getting up just in time to record the victory.
The final time was 1:09.57.
“It’s seems to have been one thing after another this year with her,” said trainer Stuart Simon, who owns Atlantic Hurricane in partnership with Brent and Russ McClellan and Carl Hollick. “We were hoping to get things ironed out for today’s effort. Luis did everything perfectly. It was a really good trip.”
Simon noted the lifetime winner of 10 races from 21 starts is likely to defend her Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes title, on November 24 at Woodbine.
Atlantic Hurricane paid $8, $4.70 and $3.30, combining with Youcan’tcatchme ($16.10, $8.80) for an $89.50 exactor. Roxy Gap ($2.80) completed a $260.10 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $848.90.
Miss Inclined and Swift Artist were scratched.
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