Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry have put together a successful, small-scale breeding business in Ontario in which they sell weanlings or yearlings at auction, buy the occasional mare, and race the few horses they decide did not reach the right bids. There are plenty of ups and downs and in 2017 and 2018, the couple were right near the top of Canadian owners when they won races like the Woodbine Oaks with Dixie Moon and Plate Trial with Guy Caballero.
The racing stable has been a bit lean the last few years with just a single win in the last three seasons from small numbers, but the personable couple were back in the infield winner’s circle following SISTER SEAGULL’S determined win in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Tiara for fillies.
Just five fillies entered the 1 1/16 mile Bison City which followed the July 24 Woodbine Oaks, the first leg of the Tiara. With Oak winner Moira set for the Queen’s Plate this weekend, Sister Seagull was favoured in the Bison City since she was the closest one to Moira that day, albeit more than 10 lengths behind in second.
The smallish chestnut daughter of Hard Spun – Sweet Kitten by Kitten’s Joy, who roared from far back to get second place in the Oaks, was up against a speed bias in the Aug. 14 Bison City but overcame it to edge front runner Strega in the final yards. Well prepared by Catherine Day Phillips, who won two races on the Sunday card, Sister Seagull was ridden by Antonio Gallardo.
Strega, a Silent Name (Jpn) filly from the Kevin Attard barn, set sail on the pace under Rafael Hernandez. Donato Lanni’s fill, two-time winner in her previous eight races, led right until the last few yards but missed by a neck. Gallardo had Sister Seagull about four lengths behind the leader early in the race and then guided her to the late surge. Pioneer’s Edge from the Chiefswood Stable finished third and the time was 1:44.48.
It was the second win in 7 races for the favoured Sister Seagull who won her maiden in her second race of 2022 before the Oaks run. Her earnings now stand at $294,187.
The Fitzhenrys offered Sister Seagull for sale at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale but bought her back for $95,000. Sean Fitzhenry purchased the dam, Sweet Kitten, a Group winner and champion in Puerto Rico, in 2021 at the Keeneland November sale for $45,000 in foal to Cape Blanco. That offspring sold for $45,000 as a yearling.
Fitzhenry has sold a $140,000 Uncle Mo filly from the mare and a $90,000 colt by Noble Mission.
Sweet Kitten has a full brother to Sister Seagull in the upcoming Keeneland September sale and is in foal to Hard Spun again for 2023.
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The Grade 3 Seagram attracted some of the top older horses at 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta including two previous stakes winners in 2022, Frosted Over and Artie’s Storm, both coming back in just two weeks after off-the-board finishes in the Niagara Stakes at 10 furlongs on the grass.
Frosted Over, owned by Gary Barber and trained by Mark Casse, was made the favourite but a shrewd ride by Sahin Civaci aboard Irish- bred War Bomber, set off at 18-to-1, stole the show. The Bruno Schickedanz-owned 4-year-old gelding, trained by Norm McKnight, was hustled to the lead and set solid fractions of 23.92 and 47.55. Riding the speed-favouring Tapeta, which was noticeably quicker than it was the previous day, War Bomber held off all challengers to win by half a length over Artie’s Storm. Clayton, who challenged War Bomber on the pace, landed third.
The time was 1:43.26.
The beautifully-bred War Bomber (War Front – Sun Shower (Ire) by Indian Ridge (Ire)) is a full brother to Grade 1 winner Lancaster Bomber and he won his maiden for $40,000 claiming last summer for owners Gary Barber and ERJ Stable. The gelding was then claimed from another win for $25,000 by Schickedanz and promptly won the Toronto Cup Stakes in his next race. The gelding won one other race in 2021, a Tapeta allowance.
War Bomber came into the Seagram Cup off a fifth-place finish to Frosted Over in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes and fading third in an allowance/optional claiming race on Tapeta on July 23.
The gelding has won 5 of 10 starts and over $220,000.
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Joan Addison, Janet Black and Barbara brown’s DUN DRUM was the only other off-the-pace winner on Sunday, rallying wide to win a 1 1 /4 mile allowance/optional claiming race for trainer Ian Black. Ridden by Slade Jones, Dun Drum was trying the marathon distance for the first time and the son of sprint star Bold’n Flashy seemed to enjoy it.
The victory was the first for the 6-year-old gelding since he won the Vice Regent Stakes on turf in 2019. As an Ontario-bred and sired runner, Dun Dum earned over $65,000 for the win, boosting his career earnings to over $294,000.
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