It was only the sixth day of the 2022 Woodbine meeting but there were a bunch of fantastic races carded on May 1 including a super 3-year-old stakes race, the season’s first juvenile race, and allowance events luring some comeback stars of 2021.
The performance by Kentucky-bred gelding NOBALS (Noble Mission (GB) – Pearly Blue, by Empire Maker) in the 125th Woodstock Stakes was stunning (although not quite as eye-popping at the originally posted time suggested, more on that in another post).
This bright bay cost just $3,500 as a yearling, picked up by a buyer listed as ‘Eat n Cheese’ at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale in Kentucky. Leland Hayes, owner and trainer, started the gelding at Presque Isle on July 14, 2021 in a maiden allowance and Nobals won by four lengths.
That win attracted Vincent Foglia, owner of Patricia’s Hope, LLC, who bought Nobals privately and sent him to trainer Larry Rivelli. Nobals won the Arlington Washington Futurity in his next start, traveled to four other tracks and won two straight stakes in January and April at Turfway.
In his Canadian debut, Nobals and his rider Rafael Hernandez were quickly in the lead from his rail post despite a step-slow beginning. He was never headed and set fractions of 21.90 and 43.99. He went on to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:08.15, a correct time after the initial time posted was 1:07.25.
The official time is just a shade off the record of 1:08.05 set by now-retired champion Pink Lloyd in 2018. All in Sync was second, Ironstone was third, and Determined Kingdom finished fourth.
“You know you’re going fast, but you don’t know how fast you’re going. I was looking back, but I couldn’t see anybody,”‘ said Hernandez.
Nobals paid $5, $3.60 and $2.50. The exacta was worth $34.30 as he combined with All in Sync ($6.40. $3.70). Ironstone ($2.50) completed a $115.30 triactor for $2. Determined Kingdom, another American shipper, finished fourth.
Speaking of fast horses, the debut by BOTTA SWING, an Ontario-bred Not This Time filly, had industry trades buzzing Monday morning. The flashy chestnut, trained by Barbara Minshall for Hoolie Racing Stable and Bruce Lunsford, zoomed to a four-length victory in the 4 1/2 furlong race worth $126,800. Patrick Husbands was just a passenger and the filly beat some colts in a track record time of 50.94. And despite being picked to win by the local public handicappers, she paid $8.80.
Botta Swing was bred by Brian Malloy’s Kestral Stud LLC and foaled at Vera Simpson’s Curraghmore Farm. Malloy, based in Kentucky but involved in the Ontario breeding industry, bought Botta Swing’s dam, Lady of the Glen, by Purim, for $5,200 carrying the fast filly. She was bought back in February of 2021 for $48,000 and then sold for $160,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale to her current interests.
More races from Sunday
The horses from the Al and Bill Ulwelling Stable are on a roll. Winners with Lady Maeve (Ire) on Saturday, they won the first race Sunday with HADASSAH’S DEVIL, who had a slow and awkward start but settled, tracked the modest pace and then burst away to his maiden win. He is a 3-year-old by Daredevil from Lady Haddassah, who is also the dam of 2021 Prince of Wales winner Hadassah. Kevin Attard trains.
Race 3 was a maiden/optional $40,000 at 6 1/2 furlongs and class-dropping UNCLE SPIDER (Race Day – I Got This by Borrego) worked hard to win for trainer Dan Vella and Sea Glass Stable. Emma-Jayne Wilson lifted the Ontario-bred to a narrow win over Klimtoglory after dueling two wide all the way. He won in a time of 1:16.72.
Race 4, a $40,000 optional claiming race, was a thriller and Gary Barber’s UPSTART GENTLEMAN (Kazushi Kimura) won by a nose over a very unlucky Long Pond. The winner, coming in from Turfway Park where he was recently second, was overdue for his second career win and cutting back to a sprint distance was the winning ticket for the Mark Casse trainee. Long Pond, trained by Cary Brooks, had a tough trip. Making his first start since September, the Not Bourbon gelding broke slowly, was steadied a couple of times while rank to the turn and then flew up the rail to just miss. Full Screen, part of the hot pace, ran super to be third at 115-to-1. The time for 6 1/2 furlongs was a very fast 1:15.27.
Race 5 went to the tough 8-year-old Dani’s Victory, who had a strenuous winter in Florida while in difficult spots. He was relaxed far off a wild pace battle and rolled home under Emma-Jayne Wilson for the Wright Racing Stable and Bill Tharrenos. The grey gelding has 9 wins in 47 races.
Race 6 was a loaded allowance field with Prince of Wales winner Haddassah making his 4-year-debut, Queen’s Plate runner RIPTIDE ROCK returning and Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Helium also back. It was one of the best races of the season as RIPTIDE ROCK (Point of Entry – Irish Influence by Stephen Got Even) had a tremendous stretch rally under Justin Stein, coming wide to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Helium, who had done a lot of hard work through a very fast middle pace. Meanwhile Hadassah came at least 8 wide off the turn and rallied to be third. The time was 1:21.78 for seven furlongs. Stronach Stables owns Riptide Rock who was beaten a head in the Plate, was second in the Breeders’ and second in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby last year. Sid Attard grabbed his first win of the season.
Stephen, Godfrey and Joe Chircop celebrated a big win in race 8, a $123,700 maiden allowance as their homebred colt UNCLE JOE and Gary Boulanger were the winners. By Souper Speedy from the mare Hold That Echo by Hold That Tiger, Uncle Joe led all the way through seven furlongs in 1:21.86 in his second race of the season. He had been second in his last three starts and third in his debut. Uncle Joe is a Queen’s Plate eligible and defeated heavily favoured Hall of Dreams, who brought an 80 Beyer Figure into this race but was flat in the stretch run.
Race 9 was a head-scratcher as 67-to-1 shot SEVENTYSEVEN STONE blew by rivals to win this allowance race by almost 6 lengths in track record time of 1:41.27, besting a six-year-old mark of 1:42.16. The 8-year-old Seventyseven Stone, trained by Paul LePaine for MPB Stable, is no stranger to pulling surprises. Last June he won at 59-to-1 in a sprint for $7,500 claiming and he won two optional claiming races for $15,000 at 10-to-1 and 5-to-1. Omar Moreno got his first win of the season on board the Florida-bred.
The last race was more logical as TAKE A CHANCE, returning home from a stint in Florida for Anderson Farms, Ferguson and Carr, blew away the field and attracted 10 claim slips. Running like a wild horse out of the gate, the Munnings gelding opened up some 11 lengths early under Emma-Jayne Wilson and coasted home to win by five for trainer Catherine Day Phillips. Randy Exelby won the claim shake.
Another $5 million was wagered on the Woodbine card to complete a solid third weekend.
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