Eight years ago, Glenn Sikura’s newest mare, Beth’s Bling (City Zip), gave birth to her first foal for Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms Canadian owner and his longtime friend Mario Serrani. The handsome dark bay colt by Honor Code, christened Corsi, won his first two races at two for Sikura, Serrani and partners Showay Chen and Stephen Crooks and was considered a Queen’s Plate contender early in 2020. But when disaster struck and Corsi was run into by a rank horse, his shoulder was badly injured and he never raced well again.
Well, it was a long wait, but Sikura, Serrani and Beth’s Bling have another good one, and this one is already even better.
CORSIA VELOCE (fast lane in Italian) won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 13 to remain unbeaten in three races and earn a free berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Halloween, October 31. At 12-to-1, the Ontario-bred by Practical Joke, Beth’s Bling’s fifth foal, benefitted from a heady ride by Fraser Aebly, stayed close to the rail on the tight inner turf and close to the slow pace.
Into the stretch run, Corsia Veloce split rivals and wore down front-running maiden La Culasse (Knicks Go) to win by half a length over Hot Mash, who grabbed second from La Culasse. Godolphin entrant Dance to the Music (GB) got going too late with little pace to run at and was fourth over Chad Brown trainee Deep Learning.
The time of 1:37.42 was good for an 81 Beyer Figure.
It was the first Grade 1 win for jockey Aebly, who had his first full season of riding just two years ago and lost his apprenticeship almost exactly one year ago.
For Sikura and Serrani, friends for 40 years and racehorse owners together for almost 17, the Natalma win is their biggest as owners. When the filly won the Catch a Glimpse Stakes second time out, that was their first stakes win.
A rough tabulation of the starts and wins from some of their horses together shows about nine wins from 75 starts with some nice prospects.
But Corsia Veloce has brought a bigger game.
Interestingly, Corsia Veloce went unsold at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale for $20,000 (US).
“She’s not too big, but I don’t know why [she did not get any more bids],” said Sikura, owner of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Nobleton. “This filly was always very nice though, really correct, great back end and a great walk.”
Following the filly’s debut win, Sikura and Serrani entered the filly in the July Fasig-Tipton Digital sale, but bought her back for $190,000. After the Catch a Glimpse Stakes win, a private offer was made and debated, but finally, Sikura and Serrani kept the filly.
“It’s a business for me,” said Sikura. “But I love these animals and I foaled this filly out and raised her. And I am really attached to Beth’s Bling.”
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The Summer Stakes was won by American-based colt Argos, a son of Nyquist owned by lawyer Dave Romanik and trained by Riley Mott. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Argos had won his debut at Ellis Park and was third in Woodbine’s Soaring Free Stakes to Two Out Hero and Casson.
In the Summer, Argos sat an inside stalking trip like all of the grass winners on the day. He burst to the lead inside of Godolphin’s Wild Desert (Ire) to win by a head in 1:36.90 for an 81 Beyer Figure. American-breds Two Out Hero and Teddy’s Rocket rounded out the top four.
Argos also gets a free pass into the Breeders’ Cup – the Juvenile Turf. He was a $165,000 Ocala March two-year-old in Training grad this year after working two furlongs in 20 3/5.
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