Lateegra, at 9-1, under jockey Slade Callaghan, rallied stoutly down the long E.P. Taylor Turf Course stretch to take all the spoils for three-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $150,000 Carotene Stakes at Woodbine.
The 1 1/8-mile grass race gave the Mike Doyle trainee her first stakes triumph. She was second, at 52-1, to Awesome Fire in the Wonder Where Stakes in July and seventh, at 41-1, to Irish Mission, in the Breeders’ Stakes in August.
Callaghan guided the bay daughter of North Light to a neck nod over hard-charging Part the Seas. Black Bird Rock was third.
Lateegra sat fifth through fractions of :23.71 and :47.10 set by Future Surprise. In mid-stretch, Callaghan had Lateegra in full flight on the outside. Part the Seas loomed menacingly to the inside, but could not catch her rival.
The final time over a ‘firm’ E.P. Taylor Turf Course was 1:48.80.
“She broke out and relaxed pretty nice behind the speed,” said Callaghan. “I was quite content to be where we were. In the end, I just wore them down and she was the best horse today. She relaxed the best out of every time I’ve ridden her so far.”
It was the second win from 11 starts for Lateegra.
She paid $21.60, $7.70 and $4.80, combining with Part The Seas ($4.90, $3.10) for a $119.90 exactor. Black Bird Rock ($2.90) completed a $458.10 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $901.05.
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