Saturday, December 3 will be an exciting day at the races for Michael and Charmaine Langlois of Brampton as their 2-year-old PARAMOUNT PRINCE tackles four rivals in the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes for Ontario-sired or -bred juveniles at Woodbine.
Paramount Prince, just the second horse owned by the Langlois family, was an impressive debut winner for his trainer Jamie Attard on November 12, streaking to a nine-length win under apprentice Slade Jones in a maiden/optional claiming dash at 6 furlongs. The chestnut gelding by Ontario stallion Society’s Chairman – Platinum Steel by Eddington raced the distance in a sharp 1:09.67. Already the fifth-place finish from his win has come back to win nicely.
The big win by Paramount Prince, who was bred by Nobleton’s Ericka Rusnak and purchased as a yearling by Langlois for $21,000 last fall at the CTHS sale, attracted the eye of Gary Barber, one of North America’s leading owners. Barber purchased 50% of Paramount Prince and, following the gelding’s run in the Clarendon, will transfer the youngster to his trainer Mark Casse.
Mike Langlois, who works in financial services, purchased his first horse via the claim box last fall. Magic Spin, an Ontario-bred son of Twirling Candy, had five outings in 2021 and then won his maiden this October for Langlois’ first win as an owner.
Paramount Prince has post five in the 95th edition Clarendon and he will have to find a way to defeat 2022’s top Ontario-sired 2-year-old POULIN IN OT, owned and bred by Steve Owens and Empress Stable.
Poulin in O T has won three stakes races and four of five races including the open Victoria Stakes and the restricted Bull Page and Frost King Stakes. The speedy son of Reload – Town Dance by Dance Brightly has had several quick workout times since his Oct. 14 score in the Frost King. Patrick Husbands returns to ride the chestnut gelding.
Barber has another entrant in the Clarendon in ARMSTRONG, a maiden winner on Nov. 6 in his second career start. Armstrong is by Mucho Macho Man and was bred by Craig Cameron, The bay colt was a $220,000 yearling purchase by Grade One Bloodstock at the Fasig-Tipton October sale last year and he was produced from Cameron’s Mr. Jester mare Jesters Jazz. Mark Casse, Woodbine’s leading trainer, has enlisted Kazushi Kimura to ride once again.
The Clarendon, which used to be for Ontario-breds and run much earlier in the Woodbine season, has been won by some of the greatest Canadian horses such as Nearctic, Victoria Park, L’Enjoleur and Deputy Minister.
The race was not run in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
66th SHADY WELL STAKES
How fitting that the Shady Well for 2-year-old Ontario-sired or -bred fillies will be run on the same day as the Clarendon Stakes. After all, SHADY WELL (Purple Shade(Ire) – The Wishing Well (GB) by Viceroy (Ire)) won the Clarendon in 1931 (known then as the Clarendon Plate) at Thorncliffe Park.
Shady Well, owned by Edward Seagram and bred by Seagram Stable, was one of the great Canadian-bred racemares in the 1930s. She won 15 races including the Durham Cup three times over males, the Canadian Derby and the King Edward Gold Cup, as well as two editions of the Maple Leaf Stakes.
The race named in her honour was first run in 1956 when Woodbine opened and it was won by the high-class filly and broodmare Pink Velvet. Champions to have won the Shady Well include Flaming Page, Northern Queen, Square Angel, Phoenix Factor and others.
This year’s Shady Well, race 9 on Dec. 3, has a field of 6 including D J Stables’ ME AND MY SHADOW, a debut winner at Woodbine who was fourth in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga and recently second in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. Me and My Shadow (Violence – Silhouette by Smart Strike) is from a female family that includes her 4th dam Passing Mood, who won the Shady Well Stakes.
Two-time winner FASHIONABLY FAB (Silent Name (Jpn) – Flashy’s Legacy by Curlin) competes for owner and breeder Terra Racing and trainer Kevin Attard and recent maiden winner SPEED TRAP (Bernardini – Siren Song by Unbridled’s Song) races for Mark Dobson and trainer Josie Carroll.
$150,000 CLARENDON STAKES
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Stubborn Streak (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Mike Dunslow
2 – Armstrong – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
3 – Rolling Hills – MarkLee Buchanan – Roy Agostino
4 – Poulin in O T – Patrick Husbands – Steve Owens
5 – Paramount Prince – Slade Jones – Jamie Attard
$150,000 SHADY WELL STAKES
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Witch Hazel – Justin Stein – Katerina Vassilieva
2 – Speed Trap – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll
3 – Rifling – Luis Contreras – Stuart Simon
4 – Fashionably Fab – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard
5 – Anam Cara – David Moran – Sarah Ritchie
6 – Me and My Shadow – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
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