With one day of racing remaining in the 2022 Woodbine season, Vancouver-born SAHIN CIVACI is going out with flair. Civaci has flown up the jockey standings this year, more than doubling the number of wins he has ever had at Woodbine since arriving in 2019 from Hastings Racecourse. He is currently 6th in the standings with 67 victories – he bagged four on Saturday, Dec. 10, the second time he has won four in a day in a week.
In fact, Civaci has won with 17 of his last 50 mounts and on Saturday was in the winner’s circle following the $100,000 La Prevoyante Stakes with one of his first big fans. Civaci guided the Martin Drexler-trained IL MALOCCHIO to victory in the 1 1/16 mile race for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, his 6th stakes win of the meeting.
Drexler, also in the midst of career season, was one of the first to put Civaci on horses on a regular basis in 2021 along with trainer Phil Gracey. This year, Civaci hooked up with agent Leroy Trotman, also agent for champion Patrick Husbands, and his confidence and talent have come to the fore.
Il Malocchio ends 2022 on a roll, too. The Souper Speedy – Egbert Bay by Sligo Bay (Ire) 4-year-old won the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes under Civaci on November 12 for owner and breeder Franco Meli of Orangeville.
The La Prevoyante offered Il Malocchio an easier spot as she was meeting restricted company and after staying some five lengths back of speedy Swinging Mandy early in the race, swept by for a 4 1/4 length win in 1:44.86 over a very slow Tapeta surface.
Silent Causeway, a stakes-winning Silent Name (Jpn) mare, finished second in what was her final career start for owner and trainer Laura Krasauskaite. Silent Causeway is scheduled to be bred to Karakontie (Jpn) in 2023.
It was the fourth career win in 20 starts for Il Malocchio and the $60,000 winner’s share pushed her earnings to $483,461.
Drexler, third in the Woodbine trainer standings with 69 wins at the meeting, behind only Mark Casse and Kevin Attard, said Il Malocchio will get a little break before her 2023 season is mapped out.
Il Malocchio is the only winner and third foal to race of Egbert Bay, who is an unraced half-sister to four winners.
Civaci also won on Hopefield Farms’ Now Is a Breeze, a Tiznow 3-year-old who won a $123,200 maiden allowance race for trainer Josie Carroll in race 3.
He won on Gary Barbe and Ryan and Barrey Kerbel’s Miss Speedy in race 8 and then dead-heated to win in race 11 aboard Tempereya for trainer Mike DePaulo. Tempereya, owned by Newtop Stable, landed in a tie with Archie Lee’s Who Says, trained by Rodney Barrow. DePaulo won two races on the day as he also sent out Tito’s Calling to win her maiden for Zilli Racing Stables.
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Trainer JAMIE ATTARD celebrated his birthday with his 8th winner of the meeting as SUGAR IS GOLDEN won a $25,000 claiming race in her third start for Attard. Training for Bet Two Seven Stable of Lou and Matthew Tucci, Attard had their Ontario-bred filly ready for a big win with Eswan Flores riding.
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