Hernandez Okay After Spill, Armstrong and 'Fab' Win Stakes

Two Ontario-bred or -sired stakes races kicked off the final Friday card of the 2022 Woodbine meeting on December 9 and a pair of 2-year-olds became stakes winners for the first time. Unfortunately, the afternoon took a sad turn later when the promising 2-year-old filly Ghost D’Oro, owned by Spruce Park Stable and trained by Gail Cox, broke down on her way to seemingly easy victory. Her rider, Rafael Hernandez was taken to a nearby hospital after falling from the filly and late last night, news came out that the popular rider was going to be okay.

“The CT scan came back negative, agent Tony Esposito told Woodbine Communication. “He has hairline fractures in some ribs, but he is grateful it wasn’t more serious. He also sends his gratitude to everyone for their concern.”

Ghost D’Oro, a daughter of top freshman sire Bolt D’Oro, was making just her second career start.

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Terra Racing’s Fab Breeding Line

Terra Racing’s homebred filly FASHIONABLY FAB won her third straight race in four career starts with her win in the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes. Trained by Kevin Attard, the dark bay daughter of Silent Name (Jpn) from Flashy’s Legacy by Curlin, and jockey Rafael Hernandez stalked the speed of Rifling early in the 6 furlong race, grabbed the lead around the turn and held off favoured Me and My Shadow to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:11.72.

Fashionably Fab was one of the most impressive (and fastest) maiden winners at Woodbine in 2022 for Dom Romeo’s Terra Racing. She won second time out, October 9, by 11 1/4 lengths, racing 7 furlongs in 1:22.38 for an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. She came back to win an allowance race on Nov. 3.

“I wasn’t really concerned [with how the trip played out], to be honest,” said Attard. “I just told “Raf” that if she broke running, that’s fine, but if not, by no means to kind of push her along. I think the further she goes, the better she’ll be. She has such early foot, that when she was going 7 [furlongs] when she broke her maiden, and 6 ½ in her last start, she just kind of inherits the lead. I look forward to seeing her stretch out because I think she’s a filly with a lot of upside.”

Fashionably Fab is a 4th generation gal from Romeo’s foundation breeding line that began with his yearling purchase FLASHY CHESTNUT in 1984. A daughter of Briartic, Flashy Chestnut was a fast filly and multiple winner and she passed on speed and talent to her foals and their foals.

Flashy Chestnut produced 7 winners including multiple stakes winner and sire BOLD N’ FLASHY and Grade 3 stakes winner FLASHY N’ SMART (dam of stakes winner Flashy Thunder). Flashy Chestnut’s unraced daughter REGENT N’ FLASHY produced 11 winners including 2010 Queen’s Plate winner BIG RED MIKE, stakes placed Flashy Got Even and Classic Mike.

Regent n’ Flashy is the dam of winner Flashy’s Legacy, dam of Armstrong and last year’s stakes placed 2-year-old filly Souper Flashy.

Armstong Steps Into Stakes Winner’s Circle

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Gary Barber’s ARMSTRONG, a son of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, who raced for Patti and Dean Reeves, edged heavily-favoured Poulin in O T in the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes on Friday. Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Sahin Civaci, Armstrong battled on the pace throughout the 6 furlongs with the favourite and the pair took their match race to the wire. Armstrong won by a neck in 1:11.61. Paramount Prince, trained by Jamie Attard for Mike Langlois and Gary Barber, was 4 3/4 lengths back in third.

Armstrong, bred by Craig Cameron of Mississauga, was purchased for $220,000 US through consignor Susan Foreman as agent from the 2021 Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale. He debuted on July 17 and was third before taking a short break. He returned to win his maiden on Nov. 6 with Kazushi Kimura riding. Kimura left for Santa Anita earlier this week, leaving to door open for Civaci, one of Woodbine’s up-and-coming star riders.

“The plan was to sit back and let the speed go,” said Civaci. “But honestly, my horse popped out really well and there was no pressure, so I kept him up there. He’s a nice, classy little horse, behaves well and kicks down the lane pretty nice.”

Civaci was impressed by the rookie’s response in the stretch.

“Look, my horse is a pretty nice horse, and he was fighting back. Patrick’s horse was pretty tough to battle down the lane, but it was nice.”

Armstrong is the seventh named foal for Cameron’s stakes winning mare JESTERS JAZZ, a daughter of Mr. Jester who won the Lady Angela Stakes in 2010. Jester’s Jazz is also the dam of winners Mystic Point, Maximum Perfection, Jazz Session, Cool Cat Jazz and Jester’s Judgement.

Jester’s Jazz is from the mare J.D.’s Lassie, who was owned by Cameron’s father J.D. Cameron, a successful owner at Woodbine.