What does Kevin Attard do for an encore a week after winning his first Breeders’ Cup race with the incomparable Moira? Attard has the two favourites in the 129th Maple Leaf Stakes (G3), Caitlinhergrtness and Fashionably Fab.
And both fillies are in the driver’s seat for championship honours in their respective divisions, so a good effort would seal the deal.
CAITLINHERGRTNESS has blossomed since she came to Canada from the Todd Pletcher barn this spring. The daughter of Omaha Beach, bred by Etobicoke’s Jesse Korona, was a maiden winner at Aqueduct in September and fourth in the Tempted Stakes at one mile in November. As a Canadian-bred, she was sent north by owners WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC. Attard was under the gun to get the filly ready for the Woodbine Oaks and he almost made it work. Caitlinhergrntess won a turf race just two weeks before the Oaks and missed winning the big race by a neck to Kin’s Concerto.
She came back just over a month later and won the King’s Plate over the boys. The chestnut filly comes off a super effort in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) on the grass at Keeneland despite trying to set the pace from start to finish.
Caitlin drew post 13 in the big field of tough older mares and her stablemate FASHIONABLY FAB will be tough. The Silent Name (Jpn) four-year-old is a two-time graded stakes winner this year, most recently defeating 13 rivals in the Ontario Matron Stakes (G3).
The 2023 Champion three-year-old Filly in Canada, Elysian Field is in the field after finishing second to Fashionably Fab in the Matron and the 2023 Maple Leaf winner and Champion Older Mare Millie Girl finally gets back to the main track after several very tough turf spots.
US trainer Brendan Walsh, who just won Woodbine’s Mazarine Stakes (G3) with Somethinabouther last week, brings Queen Regent (GB) north with Oisin Murphy named to ride. Queen Regent won a turf allowance at Kentucky Downs in her North American debut.
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