Uchenna rode the rail to victory in Saturday’s co-featured Grade 3 $160,200 Ontario Matron Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Roger Attfield for owners Triton Racing LLC., the Irish-bred four-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock-Uriah, was making just her fourth start in North America in the 1 1/16-miles ‘Poly’ stake for older fillies and mares.
Skylander Girl set the pace in the Ontario Matron marking off splits of :24.55 and :47.97 with Midnight Ballet stalking from second position. Uchenna, who bobbled at the break, saved all the ground from the back of the pack in the early running.
Checkered Past was urged into action by Eurico Rosa da Silva through the final turn with Strut the Course, Canada’s reigning champion older female and 4-5 mutuel favourite, following suit. Skylander Girl held a length lead at the top of the lane as Strut the Course, Midnight Ballet and Uchenna converged with the latter moving best of all to secure a 3/4-length score. Strut the Course earned place by a head over Skylander Girl. Uchenna covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:43.74.
The victory marked a meet leading 10th stakes win for Garcia of which four have come on horses trained by Attfield. The Hall of Fame conditioner was pleased with the trip engineered by Garcia following the difficult start.
“She was always travelling well,” said Attfield. “I was very pleased with where she was sitting and how she was travelling. Going along the top, I knew she’d stay on and was quite confident she would run a real big race.”
Uchenna made nine starts in England before her North American debut when sixth over soft turf at Keeneland on April 16. The talented bay then shipped to Woodbine and won her local debut, an allowance tilt over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, before a good fourth-place run in the Trillium Stakes won by Ontario Matron rival Checkered Past.
Uchenna, bred in Ireland by Knockaney Stud, banked $90,000 in victory while improving her record to four wins from 13 starts.
She paid $11, $4.10 and $2.80, combining with Strut the Course ($2.40, $2.10) for a $25.70 (2-3) exactor. A 2-3-6 triactor (Skylander Girl, $3.90 to show) was worth $116.20. Sweater Weather was scratched.
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