Woodbine Oaks/Plate Trial Saturday, Hernandez Picks Clayton for Trial

It’s Woodbine Oaks Weekend, the first Canadian classic of the upside-down, tumultuous 2020 season.

CURLIN’S VOYAGE will be favoured Saturday for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The Canadian classic season is underway, sans spectators, and from all reports there will be news about a few more owners being allowed to attend the Oaks and Plate.

Scroll to continue with content

The Oaks, usually run in early June, is three weeks before the Plate, September 23.. With the late starting dates of these races due to COVID-19, the top fillies have come to the fore, many have been sifted out, which could mean that the fields for the two big races will be somewhat smaller than in previous years.

We will get a look at some Plate hopefuls Saturday, not just in the Oaks but in the Plate Trial.

CURLIN’S VOYAGE has been very steady for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. of John Sikura Jr. and the Windsor Boys Racing Stable. Trained by Josie Carroll, the elegant chestnut daughter of Curlin – Atlantic Voyage by Stormy Atlantic is vintage Hill ‘n’ Dale breeding, being by the farm’s world-class sire who stands for a $175,000 fee.
The dam, Atlantic Voyage, is by one of the farm’s beloved and similarly world-class sires Stormy Atlantic.
Atlantic Voyage, a 2-time winner, is the dam of useful high claimer Brass Compass and two other named foals.

Carroll has trained Curlin’s Voyage to the minute this year as she started her in the six furlong Star Shoot Stakes where she was a closing second and then the Fury Stakes July 5 which she won by a head over Justleaveitalone and Infinite Patience.

Last year, Curlin’s Voyage won the Ontario Lassie Stakes and was placed first in the Grade 3 Mazarine and was named Champion 2-year-old filly at the Sovereign Awards. Her latest workout came Monday, working four furlongs in 48. Patrick Husbands rides.

Her arch rival MERVEILLEUX is seeking to bounce back from a bit of a flat Selene Stakes (G3) in which she was very wide and off a slow pace on her way to a fourth-place finish. She had won an allowance race to begin her season with an 82 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.

Trainer Kevin Attard put this Paynter filly, bred by Mike Carroll, through a solid 6 furlong workout on August 8 in 1:13. Merveilleux is owned by Bill and Al Ulwelling of Minnesota.

INFINITE PATIENCE, the champion filly last year in Vancouver bred and owned by William DeCoursey and co-owned by Edmonton Oilers star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, was full marks when third in the Fury and she is a speedy Sungold gal who was 5 for 5 coming into her Woodbine debut for trainer Barbara Heads. She was supplemented to the Oaks for $2,500 before the last nomination stage.

A BC=bred, Infinite Patience is seeking to become the most recent western Canadian-bred to win the Oaks following KIMCHI , the Manitoba-bred winner in 2006.

Perhaps an Oaks win would take some of the sting out of the Oilers being eliminated from this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs?

LASTING UNION, an American-based filly by Union Rags bred by the late Bill Graham, comes in for trainer Michael Matz off a 12 length win at Delaware Park on the dirt at 1 mile and 70 yards. This gal has won two straight, both on the pace, and she had a bullet 4 furlong workout Sunday at Fair Hill in 48 3/5. She too was supplemented for $2,500.

OWLETTE, the speedy Frac Daddy gal who won three stakes including the Star Shoot before landing third in the oddly run Selene, could be using her speed more in the Oaks should trainer Wesley Ward elect to change tactics with Ten Broeck Farm’s gal.

JUSTLEAVEITALONE, owned by Ron Paolucci and trained by John Mattine, was a game second in the Fury and just won her maiden at the Oaks distance of 9 furlongs with a Beyer Figure of 81 following her 87 in the Fury. This improving daughter of Creative Cause, bred by Sean Fitzhenry and originally bought for $6,000 by Nick Gonzalez, would have to be supplemented to the Oaks for $12,500 as she was not originally nominated.

AFLEET KATHERINE has won two straight turf sprints for Kevin Attard and owner/breeder Terra Racing Stable and is an Afkeet Alex filly on the rise.

Others who could be there include AVIE’S SAMURAI from Ivan Dalos’ stable and she has won two sprints this year.

The PLATE TRIAL, at 9 furlongs, pits early Plate faves HALO AGAIN against the lightly-raced CLAYTON.

HALO AGAIN, who won the Coronation Futurity last year and won the Queenston at 7 furlongs this spring, will have a new rider in Luis Contreras. Steve Asmussen had to pick a new pilot as the colt’s previous rider Rafael Hernandez has taken CLAYTON.

Halo Again, by Speightstown, worked Monday at Churchill Downs in 50 1/5 for four furlongs.

Clayton has had just three starts and two fancy wins for Donato Lanni and trainer Kevin Attard. The Bodemeister fellow was bred by Bernard and Karen McCormack.

Stronach Stables’ ELUSIVE KNIGHT, second in four straight races, had a 6 furlong workout on Aug. 8 in 1:14 and trainer Sid Attard has three Plate contenders this year, exciting for the veteran conditioner who has never won the Plate. Attard also trains DOTTED LINE and OLLIEMYB