There are four graded stakes races at Woodbine on May 31, a nice change from the soft beginning to the 2025 season that has seen only a few added-money events.
The 69th ECLIPSE STAKES (G2) at 1 1/16 miles is reasonably interesting with eight starters and as race 9, it is part of a three stakes late Pick 4 wager. The only other stakes race on the day was put as race 1 on the 11 race card; the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier drew just four runners and few want to chase 2024 Horse of the Year Patches O’Houlihan.
Trainer Martin Drexler has three entered in the Eclipse and leading his trio is the newest face in his stable, POSSIBLEMENTE, a five-year-old son of Tale of Ekati purchased by Tareq Moubarak for $65,000 from the February Fasig-Tipton Digital sale. Moubarak bought the gelding for the Sports of Kings Racing Partners, LLC for whom he has trained for in Florida.
A handsome liver chestnut, Possiblemente has won seven of 21 races, three of those on Tapeta. Bred by Charles Fipke, Possiblemente has been improving since last summer. He won two races last fall including a $100,000 handicap at Gulfstream over the tough Fly the W. In his most recent in February, he went too fast chasing the early pace in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3).
Rafael Hernandez will ride Possiblemente from the rail post. The gelding’s dam is Woodbine stakes winner Internal Bourbon.
Drexler also entered CLASSIC MO TOWN, a five-year-old for Bruno Schickedanz who was second to likely Eclipse favourite Get Smokin in last fall’s Valedictory Stakes. Classic Mo Town is a deep closer, with Eswan Flores on board.
And COOL KISS, claimed by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman for $40,000 last October, completes the Drexler trio. The gelding won his final race of 2024, his third career win.
GET SMOKIN won the Valedictory Stakes in December by leading all the way and that was his first win from just two tries on Tapeta. Get Smokin made his 2024 debut in the Eclipse and showed speed before fading and he does prefer longer distances. Mark Casse trains for Iron Horse Racing and BlackRidge Racing. Casse has won four Eclipse Stakes.
Trainer GRAHAM MOTION has a number of horses entered at Woodbine on Saturday and the Tapit gelding DATAMAN is a strong contender in the Eclipse, with Manny Franco riding. Dataman is a multiple stakes winner and he won his 2025 opener on the grass at Laurel Park. This will be Dataman’s first try on Tapeta.
More News
