Triple K Stables’ On Rainbow Bridge, making a belated seasonal debut, gutted out a nose decision over Sweater Weather in the featured $125,000 Lady Angela Stakes for Ontario-sired three-year-old fillies, Saturday at Woodbine.
Trained by Dave Cotey and ridden beautifully by Skye Chernetz, On Rainbow Bridge, a daughter of Bold Executive-Miss Deputy, saved ground throughout the seven furlong event after leaving from the one hole, as favoured She Ain’t Bad and Bella’s Rebel duked it out in front through fractions of 23.15 and 46.17.
Turning for home, On Rainbow Bridge snuck through on the rail to take a clear lead from the pacesetters, opened a couple of lengths on her pursuers, then was all out to hold off a charging Sweater Weather. Ida Bambina came on for third, two and three-quarter lengths behind the top pair, while Neesa was fourth. The final time was 1:23.57 over the Polytrack.
Last year, On Rainbow Bridge enjoyed a stellar campaign, winning two stakes, the Shady Well and Nandi, and was disqualified from winning another one – the Muskoka – as she banked $224,250. However, a training mishap this spring set her back and delayed the start of her 2014 campaign.
“We got lucky, a spot opened up on the rail, I asked her to go through and she responded,” said Chernetz, about today’s race.
On the delayed debut, she explained, “I was going out to work her (one morning) and she saw something, wheeled around and dropped me. She got a little scraped but nothing too bad. It put us back a little. Now she’s back and she’s herself. After her last breeze, she really made me feel good about it (Lady Angela).
Added Cotey, “We were going in great order for the Star Shoot (April 19). There was a terrible wind out there (one morning). A horse lunged, both riders fell off…so we’ve just been taking it easy with her, pointing her for this race and it worked out. It was a good race for her to get her conditioning back a little.”
Sent postward the 7-2 second choice, On Rainbow Bridge paid $9.80, $5.70 and $4.50, combining with Sweater Weather ($5.80, $3.70) for a $50.80 (1-6) exactor. A 1-6-9 (Ida Bambina, $5.40) triactor came back $279 while a $1 Superfecta [1-6-9-5 (Neesa)] was worth $1,063.70.
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