Madly Truly, in need of racing room at the top of the lane, found running room in deep stretch to capture Saturday’s $150,000 Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse for John C. Oxley, the bay daughter of Malibu Moon arrived at the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ stake off a fourth-place run in the grassy Grade 2 Natalma won by Llanarmon over Mazarine rivals Spanish Flower and Appreciating.
Patrick Husbands felt his filly had a tough trip in the Natalma, racing between stable mates Spring Likeacobra, with Luis Contreras up, and Appreciating, ridden by Gary Boulanger.
“Last time we had three horses in the race and swinging for home all three were together and I was in the middle,” recalled Husbands. “I was waiting on Luis to go, but Luis would not go. He was riding his own race and Boulanger was inside me. I kept waiting and waiting and they got away from me down the lane and she just got beat a length. I told Mark Casse’s assistant that she was much the best and it was unfortunate how the race unfolded.”
Madly Truly found trouble once again in the Mazarine while rating in midpack as Morant Bay set splits of :23.97 and :47.84 with Arlington Park shipper Tamazula chasing her early pace.
Appreciating rallied into contention through the far turn but Morant Bay kicked on at the top of the lane as Madly Truly, waited for racing room behind horses, was angled off the rail by Husbands and got up in time to score a one-length win in a final running time of 1:44.89. Unspurned, who stumbled at the start, rallied to earn place money over the resurgent Morant Bay.
Madly Truly, bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons & Killboy Estate, banked $90,000 in victory, while improving her record to 2-0-1 from five career starts.
She returned $7.20, $3.90 and $3.40, pairing with Unspurned ($5.50, $6.20) for a $46.80 (1-2) exactor. A 1-2-4 (Morant Bay, $8.80 to show) triactor was worth $286.10. Spanish Flower completed a $1 Superfecta (1-2-4-3) worth $409.90. Llanarmon was scratched.
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