The Bob Tiller-trained, Eurico Rosa da Silva-ridden Pohdi Pohdi proved a game front-running winner of the featured $125,000 Passing Mood Stakes Saturday at Woodbine.
Making her turf debut and coming off her only career loss in four starts when third in the Lady Angela Stakes on May 31, the daughter of Old Forester-Miss Juicey was up to the challenge, going right to the front while cutting out fractions of :23.1 and :46.23.
Turning for home, her rivals came calling, but Pohdi Pohdi, a length in front at that point and carrying topweight of 124 pounds, fended them all off to notch a one length win over 29-1 longshot Hot Cross Buns. Miss Sea was third, another length back, while the 8-5 choice Danish Princess could only finish fourth. The final time for seven furlongs over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course was 1:22.32.
A select group of six Ontario-sired three-year-old fillies contested the 19th edition of the Passing Mood, named for the former Kinghaven Farms’ stakes-winning sprinter who rose to prominence as the dam of 1989 Canadian Triple Crown winner With Approval and 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold.
It was the fifth time that Tiller has won the Passing Mood, following scores by Highland Mood (2001), Top Ten List (2005), Grace Phil (2012) and Laughing Falcon (2013).
Morning line favourite Galina Point, with Patrick Husbands named to ride, was scratched in favour of Sunday’s Bison City Stakes at Woodbine, the second gem in the Triple Tiara for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies. Husbands had been aboard Pohdi Pohdi for all four of her previous outings.
“I worked her a couple of times in the spring,” recalled Rosa da Silva. “And I really liked this filly. We’re very lucky she liked the grass. She relaxed very well today.
She was very busy looking around but when I asked her, she gave me a good run.”
Added Tiller, on why he feels it’s not too important to train horses on the grass even if they’ve never raced on it before, “If they like the grass, they’re going to run on it. She liked it. She got her own way and she’s much more relaxed this year. She’s a tough little filly. We’ve had a lot of fun with her.”
Owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable, Pohdi Pohdi, the 5-2 second choice after being heavily-favoured in all her previous starts, earned $75,000 for the win, her second added-money score after taking the Victorian Queen last year, and now sports a bankroll of $195,722.
She paid $7.30, $4.70 and $3, combining with Hot Cross Buns ($15.90, $5.50) for a healthy $124.90 (6-3) exactor. A 6-3-2 (Miss Sea, $3.70) triactor was worth $493.30.
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