TITO’S CALLING (Society’s Chairman – Unstablenthemornin by First Dude), won the first stakes race of her career with a stylish romp in the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on the turf. A return to the grass, the longer distance and having red-hot jock Sahin Civaci on board led to Robert Marzilli’s homebred charging to an easy four-length win under a hand ride in 2:04.06.
The Wonder Where wrapped up the Triple Tiara series which began with the Woodbine Oaks on July 23 on Tapeta, won by Elysian Field (ridden by Civaci) followed by the Bison City, also on Tapeta, won by Me and My Shadow. The latter, D.J. Stables’ daughter of Violence was 8-to-5 for the Wonder Where and it was her first attempt on the grass.
It was Presque Isle invader Time for an Angel, stretching out from sprints to the 10 furlong distance, who led by a long margin early in the race, setting fractions of 27.15 and 52.15, certainly very slow. After six furlongs in a sluggish 1:17, Time for an Angel still led, but the fillies were converging on her. Tito’s Calling moved from about four lengths off the pace and up the rail while Me and My Shadow tried to rally three-wide. Into the stretch, while the field fanned out, Civaci and Tito’s Calling darted up the inside while Wickenheiser moved outside to rally five wide.
But Tito’s Calling skipped away while never feeling the whip, leaving Wickenheiser to get second over Flysofreeashleeb.
Civaci, who also won the Zadracarta Stakes with a rail move earlier in the day, won three of four stakes races on the weekend.
“The first time I rode her, she ran really great,” said Civaci about guiding Tito’s Calling to a second-place finish in the Bison City. “She ran great today as well. I’ve been working her, and she’s been doing really well in the morning. Mike (trainer, De Paulo) gave me a really good instruction, just settle off the pace and wait for the rail to open up and that’s exactly what happened. She came running down after that.”
DePaulo, who seeks another big win on Tuesday when he sends out Stanley House in the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, knew his filly would enjoy the longer distance of the Wonder Where.
“The last time I was [in the winner’s circle for the Wonder Where] was for Caren, also by Society’s Chairman. We knew this filly would love the grass and we were just hoping she would get the 1 1/4 miles.”
Bought back from the 2021 CTHS Ontario yearling sale for $27,000 by Marzilli, Tito’s Calling is the first foal of the mare Unstablenthemornin, whose only win came on turf. Unstablenthemornin was claimed for $6,250 at Gulfstream Park by Peter Walder and she did not race again, winding up at Shannondoe Farm in St. Thomas where Society’s Chairman stands.
Civaci, Sacred Dancer gives Pleterski’s first Woodbine stakes win
The race before the Wonder Where was the 5 furlong Zadracarta Stakes on turf worth $100,000. Civaci, riding 14-to-1 shot SACRED DANCER, let the speedsters go wild on the pace while he waited with Kata and Don Pleterski’s filly a few lengths off the pace. Chasing pace fractions of 21.62 and 44.59 set by four fillies, Sacred Dancer stayed on the rail and then made her charge without feeling the whip. She won by a head over Hard Edge, who was wide in the early pace battle. The final time was a quick 56.62.
The Pleterskis claimed Sacred Dancer in December of last year for $25,000 from breeder Joey Gee Thoroughbreds. The Giant Gizmo – Classic Soul, by Perfect Soul (Ire) filly won her four-year-old debut in April for $40,000 claiming and won again two starts ago in another $40,000 claiming race with Civaci riding.
“The first [stakes win] is always the sweetest one,” said Don Pleterski. “We pointed her to this race for the last month and a half. It was either this or a race next week. She’s been running good enough, so we’ll give her a chance. And here we are.”
Sacred Dancer earned $60,000 for the win and she now has a record of four wins from 19 races and earnings over $215,000.
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