The Coronation Futurity, at 118 years old, has long been the premier race for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds in Canada. It is a 1 1/8-mile test in late season that paves the path for a youngster to journey to the following year’s Queen’s Plate.
A bit different in the last two years of the demanding race is that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many youngsters began their racing careers later in the year. Indeed, most of the 14 starters in the October 30 race at Woodbine were making their third or fourth start.
Heavily favoured was the flashy chestnut GOD OF LOVE, a colt owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners who slogged his way to victory in the Cup & Saucer Stakes on soft turf Oct. 10, his second career race. Many Coronation starters were coming out of the Cup & Saucer and it turns out, most of them had a hard time bouncing back 20 days after that event.
It was a new kid on the block, THE MINKSTER, a bay colt trained by Dan Vella, who had the most stamina coming off a maiden win at 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf on October 2 for owner Ray Burke’s Sea Glass Stable.
Sent off at 13-1, The Minkster (English Channel – Cabriole by Flatter) broke alertly under jockey David Moran and sat third as Sam-Son Farms’ Dancin in Da’nile took his rivals through an opening quarter timed in :24.28.
Improving to second, just a length behind Dancin in Da’nile after a slow half in :50.61, The Minkster was within a half-length of the pacesetter through three-quarters reached in 1:16.80.
As the field made the turn for home, it turned into a two-horse race, as the leaders went toe-to-toe down the lane, with The Minkster grabbing a one-length lead at the stretch call as a stubborn Dancin in Da’nile refused to throw in the towel.
The Minkster eventually drew away to record a 2 ¼-length victory. Dancin in Da’Nile finished three lengths ahead of 89-1 J M R Best of Turf, who was a nose ahead of fourth-place finisher Shamateur. God of Love had a troubled trip and was two noses out of third place.
The final time was 1:52.51, translating into a 66 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We would have rather had extra races going into this, but you know, great horses do great things,” raved Vella. “When you get one of this caliber, you just have to go with it and make things work.”
“He’s a lovely horse,” said Moran. “I wasn’t sure coming from the sprint whether he’d be a bit rank the first time with two turns. He broke sharp and I just got him behind Shaun [jockey Bridgmohan, aboard Dancin in Da’nile] and he went asleep down the back. When I asked him to pick up, he came on the bridle halfway around the corner. He was looking in a little bit on Shaun there for a little bit, and once I got there on Shaun, he just opened up then, once he figured out what was going on. He did the same on the turf. I think he has the makings of a nice three-year-old. Even now as a two-year-old he looks almost like a three-year-old. He’s got a nice, big frame to him. So, when he fills into that there’s plenty of improvement I would imagine to come.”
Bred by Dr. Tan Hyka of Hillsburgh, ON, The Minkster was purchased for $52,000 from the 2020 CTHS Ontario yearling sale from consignor Sherry Mclean’s Northern Dawn Farm.
“Tan and brothers Lindo and John and running a breeding operation in Hillsburgh,’ said Mclean. “Lindo manages the breeding program on the farm and the brothers largely breed and sell in the States. They have stepped up their game in the last few years with both mare pedigrees and stations bred.”
The Minkster’s dam, CABRIOLE, was a blue collar mare who won six of 35 races and over $156,000. She won her maiden in 2010 at Woodbine for $32,000 claiming for Mark Casse and Horse’n Around Stables and changed barns four times before the end of her career. She is a daughter of Flatter – Storm Dancer by Always a Classic and her first foal was the 2015 filly Sail at Noon, a winner by Giant Gizmo.
Her 2017 filly, I’m Not Perfect, also by English Channel, was third Oct. 28 for $15,000 claiming at Woodbine for Ross Armata and On the Run Stable. The 3-year-old of this year by English Channel, Mighty Pele, is unplaced in two starts for Erlindi Hyka and Ross Armata. A yearling from the mare by California Chrome, offered by McLean, was bought back for $29,000 from this year’s CTHS Ontario sale.
The Grade 3 Grey Stakes on November 28 could be up next for The Minkster.
More Saturday
Hicksy with rider Antonio Gallardo charges to the finish to win the $125,000 Display Stakes on October 30th at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photo)
Hicksy took the $130,000 Display Stakes, while Aubrieta won the $140,250 Glorious Song Stakes.
A bay son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Hootenanny, Hicksy, under Antonio Gallardo, tracked 6-5 choice Ironstone through a quarter in :23.08 and a half in :46.10, before turning up the pressure around the turn for home in the seven-furlong main track race for two-year-old colts and geldings.
The duo slugged it out down the stretch with Hicksy taking over late, going on to notch a three-quarter length win in a time of 1:23.38. Ironstone was second and Optigogo was third.
Hicksy earned an 80 Beyer Figure.
Trained by Kevin Attard for Donato Lanni’s Lanni Bloodstock LLC, the Kentucky-bred colt won his second straight race and notched his first stakes crown in what was his first added-money appearance.
“He was just kind of an unassuming little horse, just kind of a straightforward horse,” recalled owner Lanni. “He just looked real kind and classy. I’ve been active in Kentucky, but I’m from Canada, from Montreal, and I always wanted to come back here and have some horses to run. I have a lot of friends and family in Toronto and it’s just great to come back and hang out with my people.”
After a troubled fourth in his career bow on September 12 at Woodbine, Hicksy broke his maiden on October 3, in a race also contested at the Toronto oval.
“He’s come a long way,” praised Attard. “We always thought highly of him. When he came to me from Kentucky, Donato said, ‘This horse is really eager, he’s been showing promise.’ When he got here, he had a few little hiccups, just kind of baby stuff. His first race, we were expecting a little more out of him, but he kind of pulled a shoe off and I think that was a good enough excuse. Obviously, his last start, he put it together with an impressive win.”
Hicksy, bred by Richard Forbush, paid $6.60 for the Display victory.
AUBRIETA, bred and owned by Conrad Farms, was back in the winner’s circle, this time in the Glorious Song Stakes.
Sent on her way at 6-1 in the seven-furlong main track race for two-year-old fillies, the Mark Casse trainee was content to watch the early leaders duke it out before delivering her knockout punch.
Fulminate and Marie MacKay battled out on the front end, leading the field through opening splits of :22.83 and :45.55. Aubrieta, under patient handling from Patrick Husbands, was positioned fourth, well within striking distance of the top two.
When Husbands gave the Ontario-bred daughter of Speightster – Amethea by Hennessy her cue, the bay responded willingly and sprinted away from her foes down the stretch, crossing the wire a two-length winner. Howdyoumakeurmoney rallied to secure second, a neck in front of Chocolate Addiction.
The final time was 1.22.85. The Beyer Figure from Daily Racing Form was 80.
Aubrieta, who won her debut on September 11, was second in the Shady Well Stakes on October 8.
“You miss the break and Justin [jockey Stein, aboard Marie MacKay] got everything his way,” said Husbands of the Shady Well. “But she showed me after the race that she was the best horse in the race. She galloped out like the winner. I called Mark after the race and said, ‘Boss, she wanted to win so bad. She still thinks she won.’”
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