The Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes, inaugurated in 1979 and an open race, has been dominated by trainer Mark Casse in the last decade as he has won it seven times. The Casse team was back in this year’s edition of the one mile grass race for 3-year-old fillies with a pair of gals, Slippers, for D.J. Stable and Happy Destination, recently second in the Alywow Stakes for Gary Barber.
This year’s edition of the $175,000 Ontario Colleen has just three, two-time winners in the field and surprisingly, fans made debut winner Aretha, who took her career opener on Tapeta with a dream trip on June 13, the favourite at 2 to 1. New York based Bandiagara (GB), winner of the Penn Oaks on May 29 in her North American debut, following a month layoff was 5 to 2.
Out of the gate, Happy Destination sped along in 22.70 on a clear lead, although slowing things down a bit through a 46.89 second quarter. Empty Handed. coming off her maiden win in her third career start and making her grass debut, chased the leader. Meanwhile, Aretha was tucked away in third along the inside with Charlie Clover-trainee Flowerhead (Ire) alongside. In mid-pack, jockey Jose Campos aboard Flying Zee Racing Stables, LLC Dakotah Blue, trained by Rachel Halden, was keeping an eye on the speed.
Into the stretch, Empty Gesture charged to the lead but a lively Jose Campos was encouraging Dakotah Blue to rally while Bandiagara and Sahin Civaci were also rolling but from too far back. Dakotah Blue got the jump on that filly, however, and grabbed the victory by three-quarters of a length. Bandiagara was ahead of Flowerhead with Empty Gesture fourth. The time was 1:35.20 for a career best 85 Beyer Speed Figure.
This was the second win in four starts for Dakotah Blue, a Kentucky bred daughter of Mendelssohn – Empire Lady by Empire Maker. She had a single outing as a 2-year-old when fifth and then won her 2026 debut followed by a fourth in her latest in grass.
Flying Zee was founded by the late Carl Lizza and it operates on a smaller scale today. Trainer Halden was winning her 14th stakes race. She won two stakes races in the last year for Flying See with the Canadian bred filly Aristella.
Dakotah Blue, a $25,000 weanling purchase from the Keeneland November sale in 2023. She is the second foal to race of Empire Lady, who was unplaced in five starts. Empire Lady is a half sister to Hatoof Stakes winner Indigo Gin. Thi is the family of Grade 1 winners Spring at Last and Sharp Lisa. Dakotah Blue was bred by Grantley Acres.
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