The Frost King and South Ocean Stakes are the black-type events on October 20 at Woodbine, a card that features some buzzworthy two-year-olds in maiden races.
The filly race, the $135,000 South Ocean Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs, comes up first on Sunday as race 3 as it has a small field (last weekend Woodbine hosted two open stakes races at seven furlongs for two-year-olds, the Display and Glorious Song).
Debut winner BRENGUNGIRL (Point of Entry) could be favoured based on her 4 1/4-length win in a $40,000 optional claiming dash at 5 1/2 furlongs. The Canuck Club Racing filly, trained by Kevin Attard, earned a 63 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
As noted on the Canuck Racing Club website, the filly was named after Canada’s first genuine tabloid celebrity, who would become one of the country’s most unique and intriguing cultural icons.
Veronica Foster, popularly known as “Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl,” represented nearly one million Canadian women who stepped up to work in the manufacturing plants when Canada’s men left to fight in WWII.
In 2000, Canada Post commemorated her influence with the creation of a stamp line featuring Foster.
South Ocean, who went on to become a top broodmare, was a dual stakes winner, capturing the 1969 Yearling Sales Stakes and winning the premier race for fillies in 1970, the Canadian Oaks, defeating future Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Fanfreluche. Her two-year career race record consisted of 22 starts with 17 in-the-money finishes and purse earnings of $70,147.
Stakes-placed ELLIS IT IS, owned by Heste Sport Inc. and bred by Norse Ridge Farm, is another gal by Point of Entry who rates a look.
The first time starter SILENT STRIKE (Silent Name (Jpn) is sure to take support based on a number of impressive workout times for Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield. The filly is a homebred for Robert S. Evans.
Race 8 is the Frost King, named for one of the greatest Canadian-breds of all-time. There are nine fellows in the field led by KEKOA (Reload) who was second to the very good Scorching in the Simcoe Stakes. The Catherine Day Phillips-trained gelding was recently fourth in the Bull Page Stakes on turf.
DARK SCREEN (Big Screen) was a nice debut winner with a 67 Beyer Figure for Bev Chubb who co-owns with Greg Secko and Richard Okihiro. UNBRIDLED WEATHER (Prime Attraction) was second in the Bull Page and may have found the Algonquin Stakes at 5 furlongs on turf too short last time.
Elsewhere on the card there are some first-time starters who have been getting noticed through workouts. In race 4, GO JIMMY GO drew the rail for Natural Eight Stable and Jim Wright but he has had another number of fast prep times. He is by Society’s Chairman. Also in race 4 is STARTUS, who had big workouts heading into his debut where he was third with a 64 Beyer Figure.
In Race 6, first-timer ARAMI’S SPEIGHSTER (Speightster) has put up some good times for Kevin Attard and owner/breeder Tall Oaks Farm.
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