Two stakes races this holiday weekend at Woodbine are for three-year-olds with a few eyeing the big sophomore stakes for Canadian-breds, the Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate.
The RULING ANGEL STAKES, presented by Ketel One, is on May 20 and is named for Canada’s Horse of the Year in 1986. Ruling Angel, owned and bred by Sam-Son Farms, was the Champion two-year-old filly in ’86 as well as Horse of the Year. She went on to an illustrious career with 12 wins from 26 races and over $785,000 in earnings.
The 7 furlong Ruling Angel, worth $100,000, has eight fillies in the field but just two Canadian-breds, DOLCE SOPRESA and TICKER TAPE HOME. The former was recently fourth in the Star Shoot Stakes while the latter comes off a short stint in Florida. Last year she was second by half a length to Hal in the Display Stakes against colts.
Grade 1 winner LAST CALL, who won the Natalma Stakes on turf for X-Men Racing and SF Racing, figures to be slightly favoured.
The KING CORRIE STAKES, named for Aubrey Minshall’s brilliant sprinter who was Sovereign Award champion in 1991 and 1992, is on Sunday, May 21 and has a field of eight with seven of the starters being Canadian-breds.
Coronation Futurity winner VELOCITOR (Mor Spirit) is a homebred for Al and Bill Ulwelling and is trained by Kevin Attard. The dark bay colt won his maiden at five furlongs, an allowance race at six furlongs, and then took the nine-furlong Coronation in his season finale. Justin Stein will ride.
Attard will also start DREAM JEREEM for Derek Chin and the son of Astern (Aus) won his career debut at six furlongs before a troubled run in the Coronation. Patrick Husbands will ride.
“Of course, you think about running in the King’s Plate, but a lot has to happen before you reach that point,” said Attard. “The key at this time is to meticulously prepare them the best you can, to build towards that goal, but always to do right by the horse. It sounds cliche, but taking things each race at a time is the best game plan.”
TWIN CITY, second by a neck in the Coronation, goes for Brent, Roy and Russ McLellan and Stuart Simon with Gary Boulanger riding.
And CLASSIC DANCER, a half-brother to 2021 Plate winner Safe Conduct, has the highest last-race Beyer Figure in the field with an 84 earned from his Woodbine maiden win at six furlongs on April 29. Mark Casse trains for John Oxley and Declan Carroll is up.
The lone invader in the field is the Wesley Ward-trained WICO (Ire), who posted an 85 Beyer Figure when he won his maiden in his lone Tapeta surface start, that coming at Turway Park on March 25. The $440,000 yearling purchase has Kazushi Kimura on board.
The King Corrie is race seven on the nine-race card, with a first post of 1:10 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.
FIELD FOR THE KING CORRIE
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Dream Jereem – Patrick Husbands – Kevin Attard
2 – Classic Dancer – Declan Carroll – Mark Casse
3 – Keen Flatter – Sahin Civaci – Josie Carroll
4 – One for Chap – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
5 – Wico (IRE) – Kazushi Kimura – Wesley Ward
6 – Stayhonor Goodside – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
7 – Velocitor – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard
8 – Twin City – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon
FIELD FOR THE RULING ANGEL
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Collecting Flatter – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll
2 – Renegade Rebel – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
3 – Dolce Sopresa – Justin Stein – Josie Carroll
4 – Ticker Tape Home (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
5 – Ryder Ryder Ryder – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
6 – Bulsara – Antonio Gallardo – Michael Trombetta
7 – Last Call – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard
8 – Attabe – Sahin Civaci – Josie Carroll
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