Two-year-olds impressed this past weekend at Woodbine from the stirring score by Dotted Line in the restricted Frost King Stakes to wins by a number of first-time starters.
Some of the first-time starters who won on the weekend include the Ontario-bred ARTIE’S FIRST KISS, yet another fleet youngster from the first crop of former Ontario sire WE MISS ARTIE. Artie’s First Kiss, who won on Saturday at 6 1/2 furlongs in a maiden allowance in 1:17.12 for trainer Catherine Day Phillips, is owned and was bred by Hubert Vester of North Carolina.
Vester is very familiar with We Miss Artie, whose troubled beginning in the 2014 Queen’s Plate may have cost him dearly. The Artie Schiller stallion, a Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old and Plate Trial winner, is out of Vester’s mare Athena’s Gift, a daughter of another Vester mare, Russian Bride.
We Miss Artie stood at Colebrook Farms briefly before heading to owner Ken Ramsay’s Kentucky farm. The sire is also represented by Artie’s Princess, second in the Frost King Stakes on Saturday.
The hot stable of Nick Nosowenko sent out PLAY THE WILDCARD to a four-length debut win at 21 to 1 in 1:22.85 for 7 furlongs on Sunday. The beginner is by Jack Milton – Firgare by Purge and was not sold by breeder Pope McLean Jr as a weanling or a yearling. He was a $17,000 buy back last year. Play the Wildcard earned a 73 Beyer Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
THE REIGN MAN won his debut on Sunday for owners and breeders Gus and Jim Vlahos. Trained by Mike DePaulo, this youngster is by Old Forester from Ourania by Double Honor. This dark bay colt won in 1:17.85 for 6 1/2 furlongs for a 62 Beyer Figure.
**JUSTIN STEIN won both stakes races on the weekend and four races on Sunday, a highlight day on a super year for the rider who retired from racing three years ago.
The BC born rider won the 2012 Queen’s Plate and was one of Woodbine’s top riders before he retired and moved back to BC with his wife Renee and three children. He returned this year and has essentially picked up where he left off. Now engaged to be married to Jenn Tomkins, Stein pulled the 49 to 1 shocker on Dotted Line in Saturday’s Frost King Stakes and then guided 3 to 5 favourite SAV to win the La Prevoyante Stakes on Sunday.
“My expectations were just to come here and ride and have a good time,” said Stein of his comeback. “It was pretty overwhelming, the support that I’ve had from the people that I rode for before I left, and I came back to open arms. It’s pretty awesome.”
Owned by Steven Duffield and trained by Ricky Griffith, Sav had finished just a neck shy of Ciuri in the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes earlier this year and was able to turn the tables on that Ontario-sired three-year-old filly while stretching out to 1-1/16 miles for the first time in the La Prevoyante.
After following loosely through tepid fractions, Sav and Stein hauled down pacesetter Ciuri and jockey Patrick Husbands in the stretch to win the main track feature by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:45.79. Her Beyer Figure was 72.
Sent postward as the 3-5 favourite, Sav returned $3.30 to win. Ciuri held on for second in photo finish for place over the oncoming Golden Vision. Royal Wedding, Londonderry and Miss Ariel completed the order of finish.
Bred by Dr. John Brown’s Spring Farm, the Big Screen-Executive Affair filly is a half-sister to Cooler Mike, who Stein rode to a third-place finish last Sunday in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes.
A $28,000 purchase at the 2017 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, Sav has earned four wins, four seconds and a third from 11 starts while banking more than $215,000 in purses.
**UNCLE BULL, a 3-year-old by Uncle Mo for John Oxley and Gary Barber, won a second level allowance race on Sunday in 1:42.82, flirting with the track record for 1 1/16 miles. It was the second straight win for the $475,000 yearling purchase who posted an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.
HIGHEST WINNING BEYER SPEED FIGURES IN CANADA Nov. 6-Nov. 10
88 UNCLE BULL
81 DOTTED LINE – Frost King Stakes
81 SINE METU
80 OCEANS OF LOVE
**The HBPA of ONTARIO had a Backstretch Appreciation Day on Saturday and honoured three outstanding grooms and assistant trainers.
“They’re remarkable people,” said HBPA Ontario president Sue Leslie who presented the awards to the three grooms with HBPA board member Nick Gonzalez and Woodbine simulcast host Jeff Bratt.
They are Luis Morales, for Gail Cox, Amar Singh for Stuart Simon and Omar Thompson who works for Mike DePaulo. (Luis Morales was absent)
The three assistant trainers honoured were Brad McKnight (for Norm McKnight), Pat Dixon (for Ashlee Brnjas) and Mark Johnston for Don MacRae.
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