On a very memorable day of racing at Tampa Bay Downs – for all the wrong reasons – there was excitement for fans of Canadian racing and its classics as the three-year-old filly WASKESIU (American Pharoah) powered to a one-length win in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks on the turf. Owned and bred by Robert and Mark Krembil’s Chiefswood Stable of Nobleton, ON, Waskesiu (a hamlet in Saskatchewan that means ‘red deer’ in Cree) had a dream trip in the 1 1/16 mile race, laying inside and in fourth behind the pace under Junior Alvarado, before she angled out for the stretch run. She was up to beat Style Points in 1:42.04 and was sent off as the 5-to-2 favourite by a shrewd betting public who ignored the filly’s 8-to-1 morning line.
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay Downs (and a host of other tracks on the east coast) it was at about the time of Waskesiu’s win that a tote crash occurred, leading to hours before the Florida Oaks had payoffs and resulting in the track’s biggest race, the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, being run 30 minutes late without wagering. The day’s final race was canceled (read more on this in the post about the Tampa Bay Derby).
Trained by top American conditioner Bill Mott, Waskesiu was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Ginger Brew stakes to top fillies Ozara and Life’s an Audible, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. She had won her maiden on the turf at Aqueduct in her previous start, taking that event by 4 1/2 lengths.
None of the filly’s connections were in the winner’s circle, but the track talked to Mott post-race.
“I am very proud of her,” Mott said. “I’ve been pointing for that race for a long time, ever since she broke her maiden. It worked out well. She came from off the pace and drove to the finish. Junior rode her beautifully. It was a very nice ride.”
While Waskesiu has yet to race in Canada and it is unclear if her interests will race her in her home province, the filly is a prime contender for the Woodbine Oaks in July and the King’s Plate in August, both races on Tapeta.
By Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Waskesiu is the fourth foal to race for Finn’s Girl, a winner once in 10 races for Chiefswood. Finn’s Girl’s first foal, Collective Force, is graded stakes-placed and her second foal, Macool’s Girl, is a winner. Her four-year-old Finn’s Moment is unplaced. Finn’s Girl produced a Justify filly on Feb. 24.
Finn’s Girl, by Bernardini, was purchased for $600,000 by Chiefswood as a yearling at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. She won her career debut on the turf at Delaware and was third in the PG Johnson Stakes on the turf at Saratoga. Finn’s Girl is a daughter of two-time Grade 2 winning mare Oonagh Macool, a daughter of the Champion Broodmare in Italy and Ireland, Alidiva (Ire), by Chief Singer.
In 1997, Alidiva became the only mare to have three offspring win Grade/Group I races in one season: Taipan, millionaire and multiple Group 1 winner in three countries, Ali-Royal, winner of the Sussex Stakes, and English 1000 Guineas winner Sleepytime.
Waskesiu after after her Florida Oaks (G3) victory. (Rampa Bay Downs photo)
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