Duckduckduck Fits the Bill as Longshots Roll

Playing the Woodbine races these days is a task of enormous creativity. You have to think outside the box. Way outside the box. Weather, lower-quality horses and a very large, puzzling rider’s colony makes for some interesting races and results.

Horseplayers who may have seen in advance how the Lake Huron Stakes at 5 furlongs on the grass was going to set up likely still didn’t come up with the winner. Speedballs Quadzilla and Wine After Whiskey predictably went out and ran each other into defeat, sizzling the first two furlongs in 22.16 and a half-mile in 45.11. Perched just behind them three wide was Pietro Moran on Sue Leslie’s DUCKDUCKDUCK (Silent Name (Jpn)), who moved four wide around rivals into the stretch and drew off to win easily. He sped the distance in 56.98.

Evette Chartrand-Hoek trains Duckduckduck, who was bought by Leslie at the CTHS Ontario yearling sale for $57,000. He was bred by Richard Day’s Kingview Farm and is from the mare Peggy O. by Philanthropist.

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“Evette’s marvelous, she’s a tremendous trainer and Charlie [exercise rider Charlie Brown] does such a great job with the horse, too,” said Leslie.

“He’s very flexible. He doesn’t really let anything fluster him much. And I give Pietro so much credit because he really got him out of the gate, they left the gate running today. He’s been a little bit shy about that at the gate, so I think that helped a lot.”

Duckduckduck broke his maiden last fall in his third career start, winning a maiden optional claimer by a length under Fraser Aebly. He encored by winning the Clarendon Stakes next out, scoring by 2 1/2 lengths with Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons.

The gelding’s first start of this year was a sixth-place finish, more than 13 lengths behind Quadzilla. This was his grass debut.

The Lake Huron is part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series program for three-year-olds.

Later in the day, the Georgian Bay Stakes for fillies was won by 18-to-1 longshot SOUPER SPORTY (Souper Speedy) who stalked a pace duel between heavily-favoured Souper Diva and Sipping History. Souper Sporty, ridden by Fraser Aebly, had been beaten over 41 lengths in two races this season and this was her turf debut. Deb Holmes’ Phoenix Rising Farms bred the winner and Zilli Racing Stables bought her as a yearling for $86,000.

The Sunday theme of horses winning after a dreadful previous outing began in race 2 when CHANCHITO came from last place at 5 1/2 furlongs to win a maiden optional claiming $40,000 dash at 36-to-1. There were just six horses in the field, but a three-horse pace battle which included the second- favourite, Aterya, helped the longshot roll past under Jason Hoyte. Owned by Tara Horse Farm and trained by Anthony Husbands, Chanchito (Abarta) was third in his season debut at 75-to-1, but 10th of 11 in his most recent race.

I LUCKED OUT turned his form around from a sixth-place finish beaten 13 lengths to a win in race six for owner TEC Racing and trainer Mike Wright Jr. Eswan Flores rode the gelding, who was 4-to-5 on May 23 when he was well beaten.

Leslie and Chartrand Hoek were back in race 10 with FRIENDLY GHOST, who upset the optional event at 11-to-1 with a rally from last place. The Outwork gelding, winner of the Elgin Stakes last year, was only eighth in his season debut.