STREGA and FULL SCREEN took the Ontario Sire Heritage Series finals on November 18 at Woodbine, taking the Ashbridges Bay Stakes worth $100,000 and the $100,000 Lake Ontario Stakes, respectively.
The Heritage Series, which offers four stakes races for each of the 3-year-old fillies and 3-year-old colts and geldings division, is for Ontario-sired runners and the races are held at Woodbine and Fort Erie at different distances and on various surfaces.
A points system through the series awards all finishers in each race and following Friday’s races, PLEASURE’S GOLD, fifth in the Ashbridges Bay, was the points leader for fillies, earnings a $20,000 bonus. She is a homebred for Elizabeth and Gordon Lickrish and trained by Tino Attard. Pleasure’s Gold is a daughter of Souper Speedy.
BOSSY HOLIDAY, who finished a close third in the Lake Ontario Stakes, collected 21 points to win the $20,000 bonus for colts and geldings. He is owned by Ivan Dalos, who bred the son of Ami’s Holiday. Josie Carroll trains.
In the 1 1/16 mile Ashbridges Bay, 9-to-5 second choice Strega (Silent Name (Jpn) – Set to Dance by Distorted Humor) and leading rider Kazushi Kimura broke sharply and was quickly joined on the front end by 22-1 Totally in Charge. The duo matched strides into the first turn, with Strega holding a head advantage through a quarter in :24.58.
Strega was still in command after a half reached in :48.67, while Well Actually moved into second, a half-length in front of Totally in Charge.
It was déjà vu around the turn for home as Strega and Totally in Charge were once again slugging it out on the front end, a battle that would last nearly the entire stretch drive, with Strega eventually gaining the upper hand late to record a hard-fought three-quarter-length triumph over her game rival. My Girl Sky finished third and Talk to Ya Later was fourth.
The final time was 1:45.46.
Trained by Kevin Attard for Lanni Bloodstock LLC, Strega notched her first stakes victory and third win overall from 12 starts.
“In the summertime, we kind of threw her against the top 3-year-old fillies, locally,” noted Attard. “Her being an Ontario-sired horse, obviously, she had to step up. She ran really good in the Bison City [second, by a neck to Sister Seagull] and almost hung on to win that. She’s back in Ontario-sired company where she kind of enjoys that, I think, a little bit more.”
Attard was impressed by his filly’s determined showing throughout the Ashbridges Bay.
“Obviously, the track playing speed helps with a horse like her. The game plan was to kind of go out there and dictate things, and depending on what happened, it was up to Kazushi from there.”
Bred by WinStar Farm, LLC, Strega paid $5.70 for the win.
Kazushi Kimura guides Strega the first time by the grandstand (#5 white and green silks) on their way to victory in the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay Stakes. Strega is trained by Kevin Attard. (Woodbine/ Michael Burns Photo)
Full Screen (Big Screen – Lyndenshire by Langfuhr) darted up the favourable rail path to win the Lake Ontario.
Ridden by Jeff Alderson, Full Screen stalked the speed of Giant One and Hunt Master after two furlongs in :24.84.
It was status quo among the top three after a half in :48.77, but the pace began to noticeably quicken as the field navigated the turn for home.
Hunt Master, 4-5 choice Lac Macaza and Bossy Holiday came calling as the field straightened for home while Alderson looked for room to launch his bid with Full Screen.
Midway down the lane, Full Screen finally found daylight, but had little time to get by his two rivals to the outside. The trio hit the wire together, with Full Screen eking out a gutsy neck win. Hunt Master bested Bossy Holiday by a head for the runner-up award.
The final time was 1:44.95.
Alderson was relieved to get the victory after the eventful beginning and photo finish.
“There was a lot going on in the first turn, a lot of scrambling, trying to get him under control. I had Omar [jockey, Moreno, aboard Dissectologist] to the inside of me and I could hear him kind of screaming, but the other two were coming down on me too, so I just had to hold my position.”
In the stretch, Alderson wasn’t certain he would be able to find room to take aim at the leaders. At the finish line, he wasn’t sure if he was in front.
“Down the backside, he was going perfectly. I had no issues there. Coming to the quarter-pole, I was searching for somewhere to go. There was nowhere to go. Luckily, the inside opened up and away he went. I didn’t know if I got there or not, but what a tremendous horse he is.”
Trained by Julie Belhumeur for owner Nidel Charfi, Full Screen, who won the Elgin Stakes on August 28 at Woodbine, is now 3-1-2 from 10 starts.
Bred by Spring Farm, the dark bay son of Big Screen debuted last November at the Toronto oval, finishing eighth. The gelding arrived at the Lake Ontario off a fourth in the Lake Superior Stakes on October 21.
Full Screen paid $11.60 for the victory.
COLTS & GELDINGS FINAL STANDINGS
Bossy Holiday, 21 * wins $20,000 bonus
Uncle Joe, 17 * wins$10,000 bonus
Silent Runner, 15 * wins *5,000 bonus
FILLIES FINAL STANDINGS
Pleasure’s Gold, 19 *wins $20,000 bonus
My Girl Sky, 15 *wins $10,000 bonus
Souper Flashy, 14 wins $5,000 bonus
