Eleven months ago, the bay filly IL MALOCCHIO gave her owner and breeder Franco Meli his first stakes win when she took the $100,000 Victorian Queen Stakes on the inner turf at Woodbine.
On August 27, the daughter of Ontario stallion Souper Speedy gave his second stakes win, this time in the rich Bison City Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.
It was a long and circuitous journey for Il Malocchio to the Bison City winner’s circle, which earned Meli $150,000 of the $250,000 purse from the 1 1/16 mile race.
Wintering in Florida with trainer Ken McPeek after leaving the barn of trainer Martin Drexler, Il Malocchio slugged it out with some of the top fillies in races such as the Suncoast stakes and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. She was second at Keeneland in Kentucky in an allowance race in April and then made her way back to Drexler once the Woodbine season finally got underway, having been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Drexler got to work, first shortening up the gritty gal for the seven furlong Fury Stakes in which she finished fourth of seven behind speedy Lorena. She followed that up with a noble run in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, missing second by a nose behind Munnyfor Ro and Emmeline.
The lure of a start in the Queen’s Plate against the Oaks winner and a host of colts was there but Meli and Drexler resisted and instead sent her out for two workouts before the Bison City.
“When I worked her on Saturday I went over to the Mark Casse barn, I know [assistant trainer] David Adams had the 1 to 2 [favourite, Miss Speedy],’ said Husbands. “I looked at him straight up, ‘you can’t beat me.'”
In winning the 1 1/16 mile Bison City by half-length under Patrick Husbands, Il Malocchio dispatched of five fellow Canadian-bred fillies, including the highly fancied Miss Speedy, who faltered to finish fourth at odds of 2-5.
“She ran a big race today,” said Husbands, who was riding his leading eighth stakes winner of the meeting. “Last time she tricked me. By the quarter-pole I thought I had the race won, but when I asked her she paused for about three strides and those three strides cost me the Oaks.
“Today, before we swung for home, I made sure I had her in gear.”
The Bison City unfolded as expected with Miss Speedy, unbeaten in two previous starts, went straight to the front from her inside post and led by 2 ½ lengths through a quarter in a strong :23.57 and a half in :46.68.
And while she maintained a 2 ½ lengths lead through six furlongs in 1:11.13, it was obvious she had gone too fast.
Emmeline, who had nosed out Il Malocchio for second money in the 1 1/8 mile Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, had raced closest to Miss Speedy throughout and had led by a head over Il Malocchio with a furlong to run, only to succumb grudgingly as they stopped the clock in 1:43.42.
The second-place finish was the fourth straight for the hard-luck Emmeline, who remains a maiden after seven starts.
Anderson Farms and Donald Ferguson’s import Cielo d’Oro closed for third money, three lengths behind the runner-up and three-quarters of a length before Miss Speedy.
Miss Marie and Youens rounded out the order of finish.
Il Malocchio is quickly becoming the richest horse trained by Drexler, who was winning his 460th race in the Bison City.
“She’s special,” said Drexler. “In my barn we run a lot of cheaper, middle claimers. We don’t have a lot of horses like this. It’s nice to get one that you can play on this stage.”
Il Malocchio was produced from the Sligo Bay (Ire) mare Egbert Bay, who did not race and was bought back by breeder Paul Buttigieg from a 2011 sale at Woodbine for $1,200.
Egbert Bay traces back to the Sam Son Farms mare Corncobs Nellie, a daughter of 1970 Fountain of Youth winner Corn off the Cob. Corncobs Nellie won 6 of 17 races and produced five modest foals to race including winner Fareeda, by Key to the Moon. Fareeda produced five winners including the four-time winner Bellamancer, dam of Egbert Bay and four winners including $196,000 earner Nice Lady.
Il Malocchio is the third foal of Egbert Bay and her first winner. She was bred to Lookin at Lucky this spring.
For Meli, the Bison City was his 13th win as an owner (not including partnerships). He raced his first horse in 2008.
More Saturday
TWISTED PATH, a first time starter in race 1 at 1 1/16 miles, was well prepared to win that opener for trainer Saul McHugh and owners/breeders Robyn Brohman and Maureen Hewitt-Topp. Ridden by Isabelle Wenc, the 3-year-old is by Milwaukee Brew from the Harlington mare Martinis for Lunch.
The ladies conquered races 2 and 3 as Bonnie Eshelman’s I’LL TAKE THE GOLD won the second race, a $40,000 claiming turf sprint, with her daughter Skye Chernetz riding, It was the first win for Eshelman this season.
Trainer MICHELLE LOVE grabbed her first win of the season in race 3 as HALF LIT, a Kentucky-bred by Ontario sire Reload, won his maiden in race 3 with Kazushi Kimura riding. Love owns the gelding with Denny Andrews and Alderwood Stables.
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