The Ontario Matron Stakes (G3) and Ontario Fashion (G3) make up an interesting late Pick 4 wager at Woodbine on October 14 that begins with the Cup & Saucer Stakes for two-year-olds.
The late Pick 4, races 8-11, ends with a low-level claiming race.
Both the Matron and Fashion are races for fillies and mares and each could have Sovereign Award implications.
The 1 1/16 mile Matron has attracted 12 gals for the Tapeta event and IL MALOCCHIO and SOUPER HOITY TOITY, both Grade 3 winners this year, are in the running for the Champion Older Mare/Main Track award.
Il Malocchio won the Trillium Stakes (G3) in a downpour over fellow Matron entrants Angelou and Souper Hoity Toity after finishing fourth behind the latter in the Belle Mahone (G3).
Most recently, Il Malocchio, trained by Martin Drexler for Frano Meli, was third in the 7 furlong Seaway Stakes (G3) behind winner Ready to Venture and Millie Girl, the latter who is also in the Matron.
Souper Hoity Toity would be making her qualifying third start in Canada for the Sovereign Awards in the Matron. She has been off since July.
Millie Girl, trained by Catherine Day Phillips for her Kingfield Farm, Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds, has placed in all three of her graded stakes attempts on turf and Tapeta.
There are several invaders in the field and two of them must be respected. MOUFFY won the Ellis Park Turf on Aug. 27 for her fourth win in six races for Jonathan Thomas, who has started a litany of horses at Woodbine in the last week. TAMARAMA (GB) is two-for-three on all-weather tracks and in her first outing in North America, the Jack Sisterson filly was fourth in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.
The Ontario Fashion Stakes has 11 gals entered to sprint 6 furlongs and this is expected to be the last career race for 2022 Champion Female Sprinter Hazelbrook, who won this race last year. Keith Johns’ classy mare has not won in three races this year, however.
The major players in the Fashion are Seaway Stakes winner READY TO VENTURE for US trainer Michael Stidham, Sovereign award contender LOYALTY for Josie Carroll and another contender for year-end honours, OUR FLASH DRIVE, a Mark Casse-trained mare.
The Pick 4 ends with a wide open dash but the top contenders are SWEET NOLA, TRIZZEL TRAZZEL, TAYLORMOON and ONANDONANDON.
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