Caitlinhergrtness seeking to become first Plate winner to also win the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor
Trainer Kevin Attard is relishing a rare opportunity for his 2024 King’s Plate winner to go from great to legendary in Saturday’s (Aug. 16) Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares at Woodbine Racetrack.
A victory would make Caitlinhergrtness the first Plate winner to also triumph in the E.P. Taylor in the latter’s 70th running.
“I thought that was an interesting tidbit, and obviously would love more than anything to accomplish that feat,” Attard said.
The $750,000 E.P. Taylor – run over 1 ¼ miles, fittingly on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course – has also been added to the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series as an official “Win and You’re In” race this year.
The new designation offers the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth into the $2 million (USD) Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships held Oct. 31- Nov. 1 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
The E.P. Taylor is being contested on King’s Plate Day, rather than its usual September slot, in order to accommodate upgrades to the E.P. Taylor Turf Course set to begin soon.
The date change provides the potential for good karma for Attard and the 4-year-old mare’s owner WinStar Farm LLC.
Last year, Caitlinhergrtness became the second filly in three years to win the Plate. She was the sixth female winner in the last 14 years.
“Obviously, it would be pretty special [to win the E.P. Taylor] considering she won the King’s Plate,” Attard said.
Named for basketball star Caitlin Clark, Caitlinhergrtness will contest a field of seven that includes four-time Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty, winner of the 2023 Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes at Woodbine, which was also a “Win and You’re In” race. She Feels Pretty subsequently finished third in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf at Santa Anita. She Feels Pretty will be ridden in the E.P. Taylor by John Velazquez.
The field also includes UK important Diamond Rain (GB), who comes to Woodbine off a victory in the Group 3 JenningsBet In Delves Hoppings Fillies Stakes at Newcastle. Diamond Rain is trained by Charlie Appleby and will be ridden by William Buick.
As for Caitlinhergrtness, a victory would be the first Grade 1 triumph. She was a close third last October at Keeneland in her only other Grade 1 start – the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup won by her E.P. Taylor rival She Feels Pretty.
“I thought [Caitlinhergrtness] ran well in the QE,” Attard said. “We were on the lead that day. I was a little surprised by that, but she was comfortable up there. And the winner of that race is arguably the best turf horse in North America right now… We were outgunned for second, but the winner was in a race of her own that day. But, we were in the hunt with the rest of the pack. So, there’s no disgrace in [Caitlinhergrtness’] effort there.”
A winner of $800,222 lifetime with a record of 4-2-2 in 12 starts, Caitlinhergrtness comes into the E.P. Taylor in good form, said her trainer.
“She is doing well,” Attard said. “She had a nice work on Saturday (Aug. 9) over the Tapeta. She went an easy half and looked good doing it. She seems to be holding her weight well this season and physically looks good. So, we’re going to give it a try. Obviously, with it being in our backyard, and the fact the complexion of the race has changed a little bit, it was worth taking a stab at it.”
In her last start, Caitlinhergrtness (Rafael Hernandez) was second in the $159,300 Grade 3 Trillium Stakes on July 26 at Woodbine.
“I thought in her last race she ran well,” Attard said. “She didn’t get the best of trips. The winner had a rail-saving kind of ride. So, I’m looking forward to Saturday.
It will be a busy day for Attard, who has the trio of Dewolf, Faber and Mansetti in the King’s Plate and has 11 horses, total, racing on the card.
“It’s a little bit stressful, a little bit exciting,” Attard said. “These are the days that you get up every morning for and work hard – both and your team. So, you want to be in these races, and we were lucky to have the horses that are going to be competing in these races. We’re just hoping for a big weekend.”
Field for the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Race 7)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Venencia (FR) – Rafael Hernandez – Mike Doyle
2 – Literate – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler
3 – Diamond Rain (GB) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby
4 – She Feels Pretty – John Velazquez – Cherie DeVaux
5 – Caitlinhergrtness – Flavien Prat – Kevin Attard
6 – Hurricane Clair – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler
7 – Ready For Shirl – Javier Castellano – Roger Attfield
~ Dave Briggs, for Woodbine
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Twist of Sugar eyes Catch a Glimpse crown
Twist of Sugar, a daughter of Cupid, steps up to the stakes ranks for her second start, the $150,000 Catch a Glimpse, Saturday at Woodbine.
Eight hopefuls, including Twist of Sugar, are set to go postward in the Catch a Glimpse, a 6 ½-furlong test over the E.P. Taylor turf for 2-year-old fillies.
Trained by Steven Chircop for owner and breeder Zilli Racing Stables (Robert Marzilli), the roan filly finished fourth in her career bow on July 26.
Sent off at 11-1 in the six-furlong sprint over a firm E.P. Taylor turf, Twist of Sugar set the pace from off the inside and went on to finish fourth, just 2 ½ lengths behind the winner.
“She was on the grass for the first time, which wasn’t the original plan,” said Chircop. “We had entered her in some races earlier that didn’t go, but she was working very well – she is the best 2-year-old that I have. She broke a bit slowly, which she has a habit of doing in the morning, and then within four jumps, she was on the lead pretty easily.
“I was worried she was going to be a work short – we had planned on running her five-eighths – and she probably was. She came out of the race doing very well and she showed that she can handle the turf.”
Chircop is hoping Twist of Sugar, out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Sugar Surge, can build off that first start.
“Being on the lead as she was, with that long E.P. Taylor stretch, I think she was looking at the grandstand, too. This race is going a half-furlong further, so I am hoping we can ration her speed a little bit. I think if we do, she has as good a chance as anybody.”
Twist of Sugar breezed three furlongs in :36.00 over the Woodbine main track on August 9.
“Her stride is pretty big for a horse who is pretty compact. She is not the biggest horse in the world or the flashiest, but her works show her potential. We gave her a nice, easy work. Ryan Munger worked her and he’s going to ride her in the Catch a Glimpse. I told him we can go as slow as we need to in the work. She did it easily and galloped out well.”
The groom is Tariq Mayers-Bend.
The Catch a Glimpse was run for the first time in 2018, with My Gal Betty winning the inaugural edition. The race is named for Canada’s 2015 Horse of the Year, who won that race at Woodbine before capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and five other graded turf stakes. Mark Casse trained the City Zip filly for owners Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm.
The wagering menu for the race includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 5-6-7), 0.20 $400,00 Guaranteed Pick 5 (Races 5-6-7-8-9), $1 Swinger.
Field for the Catch a Glimpse Stakes – Race 5
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Dyna – Flavien Prat – Kevin Attard
2 – Piper’s Gift (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux
3 – Corsia Veloce – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll
4 – Kinzie Girl – Jose Campos – Mike De Paulo
5 – Twist of Sugar – Ryan Munger – Steven Chircop
6 – Sweet Fusion – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
7 – On My Time – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
8 – Nacho Problem – John Velazquez – Amelia Green
~ Chris Lomon, Woodbine
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Longhi takes to the turf for bet365 Soaring Free
Longhi, trained by multiple graded stakes winner Graham Motion, will test out the stakes ranks for the first time in the $150,000 bet365 Soaring Free, a 6 ½-furlong race over the E.P. Taylor turf for 2-year-olds, Saturday at Woodbine.
Part of a King’s Plate card that also features five stakes, the Soaring Free has attracted nine hopefuls, including Longhi.
The grey colt, a Kentucky homebred for Wertheimer et Frere, heads into the race off an adventure-filled win on July 18 at Colonial Downs.
Body checked at the outset of the 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight on the main track (the race was originally scheduled for the turf), Longhi was settled near the back of the back in the 11-horse field. Saving ground into the turn for home, the colt, under Jorge Ruiz, had to find a seam behind a wall of rivals before swinging wide at the top of the lane.
After finding a clear run, Longhi powered home to win by 4 ¾ lengths in 1:06.00.
“The game plan was to go down there and race on the grass, and we felt pretty good about it,” said Motion. “It came off the grass and he had always breezed pretty well on the dirt, so we decided to take a shot. He was very impressive and here we are. We have to go to the next level.
Jane Buchanan, racing manager for Motion’s stable, pointed out the Soaring Free as a good fit for Longhi.
“I thought it made a lot of sense,” said Motion. “I think he will appreciate going further. I had a conversation with the farm manager as to what we do next, whether we stick with the dirt because he won or go to the turf. I would be surprised if he is not a grass horse. Who knows? Maybe one day we will come back to the dirt. I think for now that this is the right path. We also have John Velazquez riding, which is a bonus.
“He has always been a straight-forward horse. Usually, when you start a horse early, it is usually because you like them and handle everything well. He was just one of those horses who went through everything that was asked of him and did it well.”
The son of multiple Group 1 winner Caravaggio, out of Lovely Moment (ARG), by Equal Stripes (ARG), breezed five furlongs in 1:01:20 at Fair Hill on August 7.
“He has always been a very nice work horse, so I was very happy with that. My experience with a couple of Caravaggios has been very good. They are very good students. Two of my first few 2-year-old starters have been Caravaggios. They handle the program very well.”
Trainer Mark Casse sends out the trio of Casson, Jupiter, and Rude Procedure, who finished first, second and third, respectively, in the Victoria Stakes on July 12 at Woodbine.
Soaring Free, who lends this stakes his name, was Canada’s Horse of the Year and Outstanding Turf Male in 2004 after capturing the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. Soaring Free retired in 2006 at age seven after trying for his third win in the Shakertown at Keeneland, losing by less than three lengths. He compiled a record of 15 wins (10 in stakes races) and four seconds in 27 starts and purse earnings of $2,110,371. The Sam-Son Farm homebred was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013.
The wagering menu for the Soaring Free includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 11-12-13), $1 Swinger.
Field for the Soaring Free Stakes – Race 11
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Two Out Hero – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard
2 – Jutland – Sofia Vives – Kelsey Danner
3 – Longhi – John Velaquez – Graham Motion
4 – Casson – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
5 – Jupiter – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
6 – Baytown Dreamer – Declan Cannon – Paul McEntee
7 – Mo Dodgy – Addiel Ayala – Kevin Rice
8 – Rude Procedure – Pietro Moran – Mark Casse
9 – Argos – Flavien Prat – Riley Mott
~ Chris Lomon, Woodbine
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Cruden Bay and jockey Fraser Aebly winning the bet365 Connaught Cup Stakes on July 20, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Trainer MacRae counts the ways he loves his King Edward entrant Cruden Bay
Ask trainer Don MacRae what he loves about his pupil Cruden Bay and get ready for a long list of reasons.
“There’s not one thing that you couldn’t love about him,” MacRae said of the 7-year-old fan-favourite gelding who will contest Saturday’s (Aug. 16) $200,000 Grade 2 bet365 King Edward Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up at Woodbine Racetrack. “He’s just a pleasure to be around. He’s a kind horse, he’s a happy horse, he loves his job, he loves people. He’s just amazing. He really brings a tear to my eye pretty much every time he runs. I am proud to say that I train him.”
The King Edward will be contested over one mile on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The race is the leading local prep for the Grade 1 $1 million Rogers Woodbine Mile on Sept. 13.
On July 20, in his most recent start, Cruden Bay won the $175,000 bet365 Connaught Cup (G2T) for the second straight year. It was a storybook return to racing after the gelding, owned by Michael Lay, had been off 11 months due to injury.
“I was extremely pleased, and I was even more proud to see Cruden do that,” MacRae said of the 2025 Connaught Cup victory. “It was just amazing. He trained very well leading up to it. We were originally prepping for an allowance race, but I thought he was just really coming into himself. I know he always runs well fresh, so I just thought it was a good opportunity to take the shot. And he did what he does best and he fired down the lane”
Bred in Ontario by Spring Farm, Cruden Bay, won his debut Nov. 14, 2020, at Woodbine. He is now 8-9-1 from 24 lifetime starts. He has career earnings of $538,706.
Last year, Cruden Bay was fifth in the King Edward won by Filo Di Arianna (BRZ).
“Last year, [Cruden Bay] had kind of a hiccup in that race,” MacRae said. “I think he dropped the bit early. He really fired late down the lane, but you can’t give up that much ground against good horses. I would love to see him really fire the way he can and show what he really is about.”
MacRae, who will also send out William T in Saturday’s $1 million King’s Plate, said for Cruden Bay to win the King Edward, he would need, “pace up front. I was happy to see a bigger field [of 10] because they tend to press themselves a little bit more. When you have those smaller fields, the race can fall apart in front of you. He’s the kind of horse that you can’t really stall once you get him running. You just point him in the right direction and he goes. So, as long as there’s a bit of a pace, he’s going to come on the run.”
Cruden Bay was a $45,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2019 CTHS Canadian-bred Yearling Sale. The Ontario-bred son of Big Screen is out of the Bold Executive mare Executive Affair.
The King Edward will also feature Piper’s Factor trained by Katerina Vassilieva, who also sends out Simcoe in the Bold Venture. Piper’s Factor will be ridden by Patrick Husbands.
“Factor is doing really well.,” Vassilieva said. “I love the way that Patrick Husbands was able to get him to settle in his most recent race, the Connaught Cup. He was able to come with a late run and sort of pick off some horses to be third. [Seven furlongs] probably was just a little bit short for [Piper’s Factor’s] liking. So, I love that we get to stretch out an extra eighth of a mile this time, and I’m expecting him to run a good race.”
Field for the $200,000 bet365 King Edward Stakes (Race 10)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Piper’s Factor – Patrick Husbands – Katerina Vassilieva
2 – Twin City – Keveh Nicholls – Stuart Simon
3 – Cruden Bay – Fraser Aebly – Don MacRae
4 – Wyoming Bill – Jose Lezcano – Catherine Day Phillips
5 – Dresen Row (S) – Ryan Munger – Lorne Richards
6 – Lucky Score – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
7 – Mason’s Gamble – Jalon Samuel – Mike De Paulo
8 – Gas Me Up – Flavien Prat – Kevin Attard
9 – Public Sector (GB) (S) – Javier Casellano – Saffie Joeseph, Jr.
10 – War Strategy (S) – Pietro Moran – Mark Casse
~ Dave Briggs, for Woodbine
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Vassilieva says Bold Venture’s 6½ furlongs the perfect distance for her trainee Simcoe
Trainer Katerina Vassilieva said Saturday’s (Aug. 16) Grade 3 $150,000 Bold Venture is setting up perfectly for her trainee Simcoe.
“The distance should hit him right between the eyes,” the trainer said of the race that attracted a field of eight. “Six and a half [furlongs] seems to be his ideal distance, and it seems that he gets very brave when he battles for the lead and gets the lead. So, I’d like to see him be able to do that.
“I’m sure we’re not the only ones with that game plan. There’s a little bit of speed in the race, but I liked what [Simcoe] was able to do in his last race when he fought for the lead, got it, and went on and put the other challengers away. So, I would like to see him be on the front end.”
Simcoe, a gelded Ontario-bred son of Uncle Mo out of Aurora Lights by Pulpit comes into the Bold Venture off a victory on June 22 in a $120,700 Allowance Optional Claiming race at Woodbine.
In the start prior to that last one, Simcoe was second on May 31 in the Grade 3 $180,000 Jacques Cartier stakes, also at Woodbine. In that race, Simcoe finished second to his Bold Venture foe Old Chestnut.
“Simcoe is doing really well,” Vassilieva said. “He’s had plenty of time off since his last race, which he won… It’s been about six or seven weeks.
“He’s coming into [the Bold Venture] a really fresh horse. He’s been training well, working well, week to week. I think he’s going to run a really good race for us on Plate Day.”
Simcoe will be ridden by Rafael Hernandez.
The dark bay Chiefswood Stables Limited homebred has been first or second in all five 2025 starts, posting a record of 3-2-0 with earnings of $132,080. Lifetime, the 5-year-old sports a record of 5-4-0 in 17 starts and earnings of $250,170.
“He seems to really have hit his best ride when we shortened him up in distance,” Vassilieva said. “He won twice at a route distance when he was 3. And then a few different things happened and he seemed to lose his stride a little bit.
“Then, we decided to shorten up the distance at the end of last year and that worked really well. That was the start of a slew of first and seconds. So, he definitely seems to prefer sprinting at this point in his career.
“He had a really good winter at Turfway Park. I think that really brought his confidence up, and that sort of translated to what we’re seeing now.
“He’s always gritty and determined in all his races. He tries really hard for us every time and leaves it all on the racetrack. He’s a super athlete.”
Field for the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes (Race 8)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Victory Achieved – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
2 – Junior Hot Shot – Jose Campos – John Ross
3 – Old Chestnut – Pietro Moran – Martin Drexler
4 – Ice Chocolat (BRZ) – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
5 – Playmea Tune – John Velazquez – Josie Carroll
6 – Simcoe – Rafael Hernandez – Katerina Vassilieva
7 – I’m A Gambler (IRE) – Flavien Prat – Kevin Attard
8 – Twin City – Keveh Nicholls – Stuart Simon
Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.
~ Dave Briggs, for Woodbine
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