Just Be Kind, under a heads-up ride by Jim McAleney, wore down 7-5 favorite Let It Ride Mom to register a mild upset in Saturday’s $128,500 Ontario Debutante Stakes at Woodbine.
Just Be Kind was trained to her second career victory by Reade Baker, who also owns a piece of the undefeated filly with Richard Fortier and Rick Mah.
Ghostly Presence, the 2-1 second choice, broke from post one but moved to the two-path to take the lead into the far turn after Brave Autumn Rose zipped through a quarter-mile of :22.13
Let It Ride Mom also made a bid for the lead through a half-mile of :44.90.
McAleney and Just Be Kind, meanwhile, sat four-wide just off the leaders.
“She was a little sharper today, which is kind of expected with a filly second-time starter,” said McAleney, who had brought Just Be Kind from seven lengths off the pace at the quarter-pole to score by a half-length in her debut at five furlongs.
“In the turn I was able to settle her down, and get back off those horses and take a bit of a breather. I had confidence and faith in this filly. When I called on her on the head of the stretch I just loved the response that I got.”
Let It Ride Mom had put away Ghostly Presence with a furlong to run but Just Be Kind was looming large on the outside and finished strongly to score by a neck in a final time of 1:10.21 for the six furlongs.
The favorite was a comfortable second, 6 ¼ lengths before a closing Happy Is Lucky, with Historical Tablet along for fourth. Ghostly Presence and Brave Autumn Rose completed the order of finish.
“I bought her as a yearling. They said they were getting rid of her because she was too small,” said Baker. “So I got lucky; she had a growth spurt.”
Just Be Kind was a $31,000 yearling purchase and already has banked $108,540.
She returned $14.00, $4.90 and $3.20 and topped a 5-3 exactor of $43.40 with Let It Ride Mom, who paid $2.80 for place and $2.30 for show.
Happy Is Lucky returned $3.90 for the show and rounded out a $1 5-3-7 triactor of $135.40.
In the winner’s circle interview Baker told host Dawn Lupul that Just Be Kind would be pointed for the Grade 3 $150,000 Mazarine Stakes, a 1 1/16 mile race for 2-year-old fillies, set for October 8.
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