First run in 1941, the MY DEAR STAKES has a solid, seven-horse field for the 2023 renewal Saturday, July 15 at Woodbine. The $125,000 race for two-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta is one of two juvenile stakes races at Woodbine this weekend; the Victoria Stakes on Sunday drew just five runners and one of them is a filly.
My Dear, the American Champion Older Female Horse of 1923, had some of her greatest performances at the Old Woodbine Race Course. She won the Toronto Cup Stakes, the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes and Toronto Autumn Handicap among other stakes races throughout the US. She won 23 of 95 races. Two of her greatest efforts were when she was second to the great Exterminator at Old Woodbine in consecutive runnings of the Autumn Handicap.
BOLT ENOREE could be favoured in this year’s My Dear as the Ontario-bred daughter of Bolt d’Oro won her debut over the colt My Boy Prince, who came back to win big. Bolt Enoree is owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and trained by Kevin Attard. Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride.
CRAFTY OAKS, owned and trained by Keith Edwards and a $2,000 yearling purchase, flew past rivals from off the pace to win her debut on June 3 under apprentice Desean Bynoe.
Mark Casse has a pair of gals in the race: DANCING DUCHESS won her second career race on the pace over stablemate STORMCAST, a daughter of Mitole.
Sunday’s Victoria, also at 5 1/2 furlongs for $125,000, is usually the male counterpart of the My Dear, but Attard supplemented a filly to the race, PIPIT (also entered in My Dear) since the field had just four other entrants. Only one of the other four is a Woodbine winner, YACHT BOY, a son of Old Forester owned by 3 Sons Racing. Presque Isle invaders GOING UP and GOTTS GOT IT will gain respect and MATTINGLY, from Florida, won his maiden June 24 for co-owner Harlow Racing.
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