Canadian champion MY BOY PRINCE led a parade of Ontario-breds who had big runs in the U.S. on the weekend. On February 14, My Boy Prince grabbed the win in the $100,000 Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs, at Laurel in Maryland, JOKESTAR won the $100,000 Stakes and at Fair Grounds, and Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate contender LUV YOUR NEIGHBOR just missed in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra.
My Boy Prince, the Canadian two-year-old colt champion who is now five, has confirmed he loves sprinting on the grass. Last weekend, the Gary Barber grey gelding, whose trainer Mark Casse was celebrating a birthday, met up with the remarkable Rezarolex, who had won his nine previous starts.
The pair put on a show for the Tampa Bay Downs crowd with My Boy Prince and Samuel Marin winning by a head in 55.44 for 5 furlongs. He earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure, the best of his career, from Daily Racing Form.
The Turf Dash was My Boy Prince’s seventh stakes victory and his first win since he took the Elusive Quality Stakes at Aqueduct a year ago. Before that, his last win was in the Plate Trial Stakes in 2024, which led him to a super second-place finish in the King’s Plate.
Bred by Murray Smith in Ontario, My Boy Prince, by Cairo Prince – Hopping Not Hoping by Silent Name (Jpn) improved to eight-for-22 lifetime, and the $60,000 winner’s share raised his earnings to $1,284,925.
“I knew I had a lot of horse and I was just hoping to get the rail, and I did right before the turn,” said Marin. “I was happy where I was about in the middle of the pack, and I was following (Rezasrolex) because I knew he was one of the horses who was going to take me where I wanted to be.
“I was able to get through and when it happened, he was there for me. I was saving the ground and I got lucky at the end. A horse like this makes you feel something different. You can feel the power underneath you.”
Casse also sent out Creed’s Gold to win the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay on Saturday and French Friction to win the Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park. French Friction marked Casse’s eighth stakes win at Oaklawn at the current meeting.
***
JOKESTAR earned a well-deserved stakes score when he took the $96,000 Post Time Stakes on Saturday for Al and Bill Ulwelling, trainer Kevin Attard, and jockey Pietro Moran. Bred by the Ulwellings, the son of Practical Joke – Starmaline by Star Guitar had some traffic woes early in the race due to a loose horse, but once he got clear sailing, he defeated the other two starters by 6 1/2 lengths in 1:52.66 for 1 1/8 miles. He earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
Jokestar, who won his maiden at Woodbine on Tapeta and was fifth in the Plate Trial and King’s Plate (behind Caitlinhergrtness and My Boy Prince) has been a confirmed dirt track lover. He won at Oaklawn and Prairie Meadows last year and Thistledown last fall. He was a good second in the Valedictory Stakes in December at Woodbine. The Ulwellings had the gelding in a Fasig Tipson Digital sale recently, but bought him back for $105,000. Jokestar is from winner Starmaline, who has also produced Georgian Bay Stakes winner Rhaenyra.
***
In New Orleans. Lael Stables’ LUV YOUR NEIGHBOR (Constitution – Disobedient by Into Mischief) appeared to be on her way to victory in the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) on Saturday, but the Mike Stidham-trained filly once again stalled in deep stretch and the favourite Bella Ballerina came back on to win. Luv Your Neighbor, now second in four straight races, three stakes, was wearing blinkers for the first time. The bay gal tracked Bella Ballerina all the way and then took over as the latter started to tire. However, jockey Luis Saez on Luv Your Neighbor, said his mount “just stopped” on him once she glided to the lead.
Luv Your Neighbor earned points towards the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on the first Friday in May. She was bred by David Anderson’s Anderson Farms and she is also a top contender for the Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate later this summer.
More News
