Ontario stallions SIGNATURE RED and RELOAD made the headlines at Woodbine on September 24 with the two winners of the Ontario-sired stakes races.
Ancient Spirit, under Rafael Hernandez, a homebred for Howard Walton’s Norseman Racing Stable, powered to victory in the $100,000 Victorian Queen Stakes for 2-year-old Ontario-sired fillies, while Poulin in O T led all the way to win the $100,000 Bull Page Stakes. Both races were run at ‘about’ 7 furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf course.
Ancient Spirit, trained by Sid Attard, was 3-to-1 in the Victorian Queen as the unbeaten stakes winner Anam Cara was the heavy favourite for Sarah Ritchie. Ancient Spirit had won her debut on Aug. 20 by 4 lengths, speeding away in a five-furlong turf dash.
A strong-willed gal, Ancient Spirit dumped Hernandez behind the gate but was all business once underway.
It was another Walton-owned, Signature Red filly who sped to a big lead. Cara Cara, trained by John Mattine, went in 22.95 and 45.96 while flying on the pace. Ancient Spirit tracked the lead while Anan Cara was well back early along the rail. Friends for Life, also well bet because of a nice debut win, was also well back while under a very hard hold.
Straightening for the long drive to the wire, Hernandez gave the dark bay filly her cue and she responded with an outside burst to take the lead, going on to post an easy 2 ½-length triumph in a time of 1:21.80 over firm going. Her time was slightly faster than Poulin in O T’s clocking in the Bull Page.
Ancient Spirit is the second new stakes winner for Signature Red (Bernstein) in 2022 and his 8th stakes winner overall. The stallion has also had at least 3 debut winning juveniles this year. This is the first foal of Gemini, who was a 2-time winner in 12 races and is out of a half-sister to turf stakes winner Silky Smooth.
“We liked this filly since day one that we saw her,” said the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, who trained both Ancient Spirit’s sire and dam. “Her mother, [Gemini] she was very big. She broke her maiden (July 29, 2018), and the owner didn’t want her. I said, Howie, ‘Get this mare.’ This one, she’s like a bull. She’s so strong.”
Ancient Spirit paid $8.20, $4.50 and $3.10, combined with Tito’s Calling (Society’s Chairman) ($5.10, $3.30) for a $45.20 exactor. Friends for Life (Silent Name (Jpn)) ($3.30) completed a $175 triactor. A $1 superfecta (Cara Cara) came back $494.10. Anam Cara proved hard to handle in the race as she was lugging in throughout the stretch run.
Two races later, colts and geldings by Ontario sires took part in the Bull Page and it was the fleet Poulin in O T, owned and bred by Steve Owens, wife Beverly and daughter Emma and jockey Patrick Husbands who stole the show.
A son of Reload-Town Dance, by Dance Brightly, the chestnut gelding broke sharply from the gate and assumed command immediately, taking his five rivals through an opening split in :22.67, as Half to Reload and favoured Awesome Bourbon sat second and third, respectively.
Poulin in O T, in his fourth start, was still running comfortably on top through a half reached in :45.55, holding a two-length advantage over Awesome Bourbon. The latter, by Not Bourbon, made a bid to the lead into the stretch but stalled.
It was Howard Walton’s One Bay Hemingway, a son of Danger Bay who got up for second with Awesome Bourbon third.
The time was 1:22.02 over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
It was the third win from four starts for Poulin in O T, who arrived at the Bull Page off a troubled seventh in the Soaring Free Stakes on August 20.
Poulin O T won his first two career starts, his debut in a maiden event and the Victoria Stakes on July 17.
He paid $5.30, $3.30 and $2.60, combined with One Bay Hemingway ($9.10, $5.30) for a $51.30 exactor. Awesome Bourbon ($3) completed a $225.70 triactor. A $1 superfecta (Silent Fortune) came back $389.15.
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One of the more impressive winners on Saturday was RETAIL THERAPIST, who easily won an optional claiming race for $40,000 under Rafael Hernandez. The Tourist 3-year-old was barely asked in her big win at about 7 furlongs on turf and she stopped the clock in 1:21.40. Retail Therapist is owned by Terri Pion and trained by Sylvain Pion.
Race 7 was a very nice maiden allowance for fillies and Irish bred STROKES, an $87,000 purchase by D J Stables at Goffs in 2021, won in her 3rd career start with blinkers and Lasix added. Trained by Mark Casse, the grey daughter of Caravaggio was fifth in her debut at Gulfstream and ninth in a grass race at Woodbine last month. Emma-Jayne Wilson had the filly up near the pace throughout the 5 1/2 furlongs on Saturday and got past beginner Miss Vyvyanne (Rainbow Heir). Ontario-bred Miss Jessel, by Ghostzapper, was a solid third in her debut for Illium Stable.
Hernandez and Wilson put on a show on Saturday with the former winning 4 races, the latter 3 and they raced 1-2 in race 9 as Hernandez won on Astonish, trained by Nathan Squires for William Thompson, Jr.
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