One of the most furious early summer storms ripped through Ontario just as the horses for Woodbine’s first race were making their way into the indoor saddling enclosure on Saturday, May 20. The deadly storm, complete with a reported 130 km/hr winds and heavy rain, came on suddenly and caused much damage and several fatalities in the province.
Woodbine’s first race field stayed undercover for 42 minutes past post time before the card was able to begin at 1:52.
The rain made for a speedy Tapeta surface that was very kind to speed runners and one filly and rider who took advantage of that was SUMMERTIME MAGIC and Patrick Husbands, who lulled the field of the $100,000 Ruling Angel Stakes to sleep and held on to a 1 1/4 length win over 2021 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Mrs. Barbara. Join the Dance finished third, completing a 1-2-3 finish for the Mark Casse barn.
Casse’s team would win with 3 of its 10 starters on Saturday.
Summertime Magic, owned by John Oxley, won her career debut on April 17 at five furlongs with Rafael Hernandez riding. With Hernandez sticking with Mrs. Barbara, Husbands took over and he put on a clinic. His grey mount by Carpe Diem – Tap Softly by Tapit put her ears up and bounced to a clear lead, setting modest pace fractions.
“She was going very easy down the back and she was rolling, but she was rolling with her ears pricked, showing me that she was just happy,” said Husbands. “I hadn’t really asked her yet and coming off the turn, she showed that they were going to have to run to beat her. She was rolling and she was rolling happy. She was just enjoying it.”
Behind the pair, others were being rated and stretch-running Mrs. Barbara was having trouble finding a clear path to get rolling. Once she did, she came up the rail and finished fastest of all. The time of the seven furlong race was 1:22.26.
For Oxley, it was the second stakes winner in 2022 after a couple of lean years without any added money winners.
There were plenty of impressive, lopsided winners on Saturday including a Casse-trained 2-year-old named STAYHONOR GOODSIDE, a flashy Ontario-bred Honor Code colt and $85,000 Keeneland yearling purchase owned by D J Stables LLC. The dark bay with white legs flew to a 5 1/2 length win in the 4 1/2 furlong second race in 51.58. Bred by Stan Dodson, Stayhonor Goodside is from the former Knob Hill Farms mare Nicki Knew (Tethra) who won the 2008 Bison City Stakes and is a descendant of Queen’s Plate winning filly La Lorgnette. Nicki Knew has had a spotty record producing foals, but also had Vandal Stakes winner Imperial Dream.
As for the colt’s name, Thoroughbred Daily News said: “The colt’s name came about by way of a contest on the TDN Writers’ Room podcast, when D.J. Stable General Manager Jon Green challenged listeners to come up with a clever name based on the colt’s breeding as part of a promotion sponsored by Lane’s End Farm. The winning entry was submitted by Skip Anderson, a champion Hampshire sheep breeder from North Dakota.”
Another Casse runner, TALBEYAH (Ire), a 4-year-old Loupe de Vegas filly, was given a brilliant ride by Husbands to overcome a terrible start when she had her head turned and traffic to win her Tapeta debut and first race since October. The filly overcame not only a tough trip but a modest pace up front on the speed conducive surface. Purchased by Tracy Farmer for $369,000 at the 2021 Tattersalls March Sale in England, Talbeyah ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.42.
ANGELOU, a 4-year-old by Curling, won her maiden by some 10 lengths in race 4, her first grade since July and her first try on the Tapeta. Owned by Blue Heaven Farm (owners of Starship Jubilee) and trained by Kevin Attard, Angelou has placed in all four races on turf at Woodbine and in New York last summer with Todd Pletcher. Angelou raced 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.73.
The fastest race of the day was the 1:42.13 clocking for CATICHE’S romp by 6 1/2 lengths in race 7, an allowance for fillies and mares. The Augustin Stable filly by Arrogate was adding Lasix for trainer Jonathan Thomas and coming off a second-place finish in the Bourbonette Stakes at Turfway Park. Kazushi Kimura rode the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred.
Wagering on the 10 race card was just over $5.1 million.
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