Twenty-two different trainers won races from Friday through Sunday at Woodbine, which offered 28 races on the Tapeta surface. Four trainers were multiple winners and almost half of the winning trainers were winning for the first time this season.
The lone stakes race of the weekend was the May 8 Grade 3 Whimsical, worth $155,000, and it marked the return of top sprinting gals Boardroom, 2021 Sovereign Award finalist Our Secret Agent, and 2020 Champion Female Sprinter Artie’s Princess.
Boardroom, a mare by Commissioner, who was five-for-seven coming in for trainer Josie Carroll, won her only two races last year including the Whimsical, but she had to be put away early due to injury. She looked as sharp as a tack on Sunday but had a poor journey as she was was suddenly steadied out of contention into the turn. By then, the speedy Our Secret Agent (Secret Circle- Avalos by Holy Bull) and her rider Kazushi Kimura had put away Artie’s Princess and was on her merry way. She won by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:09.62. Boardroom closed hard for second over Dreaming of Drew, who won the Long Branch Stakes in her season opener.
Our Secret Agent is owned by Gary Barber and trained by Mark Casse. She was a $47,000 buyback from a Kentucky yearling sale four years ago when offered by breeder Paul Tackett. She began her career in Kentucky, but blossomed on the Tapeta at Woodbine. Our Secret Agent, who won the Hendrie Stakes (G3) last year, now has four wins in 17 races and earnings over $400,000.
One barn that had a spectacular week was that of veteran trainer GORD COLBOURNE, who sent out three winners, which was the total number of wins he had in 2021.
Colbourne co-owns and co-bred the impressive debut winner POSEIDON STEEL (Frac Daddy – Blue Waters by Speightstown) with Shirley Prosser’s Box Arrow Farm. The grey colt, under Emma-Jayne Wilson, broke slowly in a 5 1/2 furlong maiden optional race on Saturday, and was as many as 10 lengths behind a hot pace in the short dash. Still far back around the turn, Poseidon Steel flew past six rivals to win by a length in 103.69 to earn a 77 Beyer Figure.
Earlier in the day, Colbourne won with LION’S GOLDHEART, an Ontario-bred by Line of David, who won a six-furlong race for $25,000 claiming in his season debut for owner Yogi Singh. Jeff Alderson rode the 11-to-1 shot.
On Friday, Colbourne won with Prosser’s MISS BOBBIT in a waiver claiming race with David Moran riding.
Friday’s races were dominated by outside runners and the track was a bit slower than it was on the previous Sunday when three track records were set. Richie Morden, Denyse McLachrie, George Billers, Marjorie Paterson, and Colbourne were all winning for the first time this year on Friday.
*Saturday, Queen’s Plate eligible DUKE OF LOVE made a nice return to Woodbine with a big win at 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.75, good for an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
Duke of Love (Cupid – Tell the Duchess, by Smart Strike – another Smart Strike mare in the news!) is owned by the American fan-friendly syndicate My Racehorse, which is expanding into Canada, and trained by Josie Carroll. The bay colt was a $15,000 weanling purchase by War Horse Place at Keeneland November, a $40,000 yearling at Fasig Tipton October and an $85,000 purchase at the 2021 Midatlantic 2-year-old sale at Timonium and he was bred by Caldara Farm, Inc. Patrick Costello, David Whitford and Tom Zweisler.
The Duke, now a winner of 2 of 3 races, has classic breeding and he is related to recent 2000 Guineas Winner COROEBUS (Dubawi) whose fourth dam Morning Devotion is also the fourth dam of Duke of Love.
Duke of Love’s dam Tell the Duchess is a Sam-Son Farms-bred who did not race and her dam Classira (Danehill) is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Thady Quill and Humble Eight.
Justin Stein, who had a good weekend, rode Duke of Love to the win.
Earning a 76 Beyer Figure for his front running maiden win at 5 furlongs on Saturday was WOOD BE WILD, owned by Bill Diamant, bred by Vicki Pappas and trained by Phil Gracey. This Old Forester 4-year-old from Psychedelia was making his third career start and first since last fall.
On Sunday, trainer MIKE MCDONALD sent out KAWACATOOSE for a win off the layoff for Robert Boreland and Canadian soccer star CYLE LARIN. Steve Bahen rode McDonald also won with BOUND LUCKY, his own horse, on Saturday.
Trainer KEVIN ATTARD won two races on Sunday with the maiden filly CALLE OCHO for Blue Heaven Farm and Derek Chin’s long distance loving FULL EXTREME.
The Mark Casse barn, in addition to winning the stakes race, sent out first time starter HIS TIME to win a maiden allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs. An Ontario-bred by Not This Time bred by the Saintsbury Farm of Christine and Jay Hayden, His Time led all the way and held off a closing Its Game Night for the victory.
Another impressive first-time starter to win was DIXIE MORNING (Giant Gizmo – I Dream of Dixie by Dixieland Band) who had the rail post for a 5 1/2 furlong dash but angled out and strolled to a nice win for Scott Abbott and trainer Mike Doyle. Kazushi Kimura had the ride.
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