A two-year-old daughter of Court Vision, Notice Me sets her sights on her first added-money triumph in Saturday’s $100,000 South Ocean Stakes, at Woodbine Racetrack.
Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who also co-owns with P.A. Fullerton Stables and Peter C. Reich, Notice Me arrives at the 1 1/16-mile main track event for Ontario-sired freshman fillies off a fourth-place finish in the Victorian Queen Stakes, on September 22.
Sent off as the second choice, the dark bay bumped at the start with eventual winner Silent Mistake, before she rallied down the lane in the six-furlong race.
Notice Me had come into the Victorian Queen off an authoritative maiden-breaking score on August 31 at the Toronto oval.
After breaking outwardly at the start of the seven-furlong race, Notice Me, under regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva, quickly got in gear and was sitting third at the half-mile mark.
Ahead by one length at the stretch call, Notice Me drew away at will, going on to notch a 5 1/2-length victory as the 4-5 favourite.
Now, Notice Me, whose career bow on August 10, also at Woodbine, resulted in a runner-up effort, will take on four rivals in the South Ocean, a race won by Line of Vision last year.
“I think she’s tried hard in each of her races,” said Day Phillips, who is in the midst of another impressive campaign, one that’s yielded 23 wins and nearly $1.5 million in purse earnings.
The multiple graded stakes winning conditioner, who has 271 lifetime wins, is looking forward to seeing Notice Me tackle two turns for the first time in her career.
“She’s been relaxed in her races and so stretching out should suit her,” offered Day Phillips.
Notice Me will take on Mike Doyle trainee Crumlin Time, who has one win among three top-three finishes from six starts; Falcon’s View, who recently broke her maiden at Woodbine; Miss Ariel a five-time starter who has never finished lower than fourth; and Preferred Guest, runner-up in the Muskoka Stakes on August 29 and top three in the Victorian Queen.
South Ocean, who went on to become a top broodmare, was a dual stakes winner, capturing the 1969 Yearling Sales Stakes and winning the premier race for fillies in 1970, the Canadian Oaks, defeating future Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Fanfreluche. Her two-year career race record consisted of 22 starts with 17 in the money finishes and purse earnings of $70,147.
The following is the field for the $100,000 South Ocean Stakes, scheduled as race eight (4:42 p.m.) on Saturday’s 11-race program. First post time is set for 1 p.m.
$100,000 South Ocean Stakes
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1. Notice Me – Eurico Rosa da Silva – Catherine Day Phillips
2. Preferred Guest – Jerome Lermyte – Mark Casse
3. Falcon’s View – Rafael Hernandez – Scott Fairlie
4. Miss Ariel – Jesse Campbell – Tony Gattellaro
5. Crumlin Time – Davy Moran – Michael Doyle
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