Woodbine racecap

Canadian Stakes, Ontario Derby, Northern Dancer Turf, and Woodbine Mile highlight day of races

Horses leave the starting gate on a busy day at Woodbine 

Celebrated jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson collected her 1,000th career win aboard D’wildcat Gold in the first race at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday.

“As we started to pull away from Jermaine’s [jockey Bridgmohan] horse [Perfect Balance], I had a little giggle,” said Wilson.

“It was a little surreal and I just wanted to enjoy the moment for the last eighth of a mile. I knew she was running well and I just giggled through the last sixteenth.”

In 2005, after being presented with the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top apprentice jockey, Wilson was one of 20 women named by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) awarded to the most influential women in the sporting world.

Race 1 – 5 1/2 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 D’wildcat Gold $8.30  $3.60  $2.50

2 Perfect Balance  $7.20  $3.70

3 Poster Lady  $2.60

Race 2 – 6 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 Cabriole  $16.40  $7.20  $4.80

2 Flower Exchange  $6.90  $4.00

3 Dubai Dot  $3.50

Race 3 – 6 1/2 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 Seething  $13.90  $6.90  $4.20

2 Young Dude  $9.50  $6.20

3 Murrays in a Hurry  $4.20

Race 4 – 6 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 Sunshine Promise  $25.90  $10.90  $6.10

2 Cafe Au Lait  $10.20  $5.50

3 Ciboulette  $3.50

Race 5 – Canadian Stakes; 1 1/8 Miles, Turf

Jockey Davey Moran hopped aboard four-year old Barefoot Lady just before Grade 2 race, $323,217 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine, and rode him to the win as a replacement jockey.

“I had a great trip,” Moran said after the 1 1/2-length victory. “I just moved her out and it was all over from there. She finished strong to the wire, and she had it in the bank.

“I was happy I was behind [jockey] Luis [Contreras, aboard Laughing]. I thought he was the horse to bring me into the race, anyway. Then, I just got her out right on the turn and from there it was over, really.”

Turning into the stretch, Stars to Shine took the lead, but Barefoot Lady began pressing. She quickly passed Stars to Shine erupted down the stretch, her biggest career victory.

1 Barefoot Lady $16.40  $8.40  $5.50

2 All Star Heart  $5.90  $3.70

3 Stars to Shine  $4.60

Race 6 – 1 1/8 Miles, Polytrack

1 Sea Bank $36.20  $18.00  $9.90

2 Bon Jovi’s Sky  $9.30  $5.70

3 Roseville  $4.30

Race 7 – Ontario Derby; 1 1/8 Miles, Polytrack

Stealcase surged to the lead in mid-stretch and held on strong to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Derby.

After Gung Ho jumped out to an early lead, Any Given Royal took the lead down the stretch and hung on for second behind Patrick Husbands and Stealcase with an impressive rally.

“Any time a horse can get a win it’s a confidence building thing for them and he showed a lot of confidence today, it just puts everything together for them and I just think it really helps going forward,” assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan told the Toronto Observer.

“He’s just such a good horse I really don’t think it matters to him. He’s run great on the dirt, he’s run great on the poly now, and good horses can really do it anywhere.”

1 Stealcase  $6.20  $3.30  $2.50

2 Any Given Royal  $4.30  $2.80

3 River Rush  $3.00

Race 8 – Northern Dancer Turf presented by Vtech; 1 1/2 Miles, Turf

Al Khali and Wigmore Hall blew past Irish Mission around the last turn, setting up a duel that came down to the wire. Wigmore Hall looked to have it all locked up, but just held on to prevent a surging Al Khali.

The win was the second consecutive victory for Wigmore Hall at the Northern Dancer Turf.

“He loves Canada, especially,” said assistant trainer Gillian Dolman. “He’s not so great on the soft turf, but he loved the conditions here today.”

1 Wigmore Hall (IRE) $9.40  $4.90  $3.50

2 Al Khali  $4.50  $3.10

3 Forte Dei Marmi (GB)  $4.00

Race 9 – 7 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 Mo Jo Queen $6.10  $4.10  $3.00

2 Clementis $15.50  $7.70

3 Acting Naughty $3.00

Race 10 – Ricoh Woodbine Mile; 1 Mile, Turf

At the final turn of the RICOH Woodbine Mile, the heavy favourite Wise Dan surged ahead of early leaders Worthadd and Arctic Fern and powered across the finish line to take the $600,000 first prize.

Coming in with 1-2 odds, Wise Dan lived up to the hype with an impressive win over second-place finisher Hunters Bay by a smooth three and one-quarter lengths.

The final time was 1:34.07 for a horse that came into Woodbine ranked second on the NTRA’s list of North America’s top thoroughbreds in training, his third win in four starts this year.

“My strategy was to get him to relax the first part of the race, that’s what I worried about with him more than anything else,” said Velazquez, without breaking stride.

“We got him relaxed and down the stretch just let him rock-and-roll, that’s it.”

Velazquez also won the Woodbine Mile in 2005 aboard Leroidesanimaux and Riviera in 2000. Wise Dan becomes the second consecutive horse trained by Charles Lopestri to win the Woodbine Mile after Turallure took top place last year.

1 Wise Dan  $3.10  $2.70  $2.10

2 Hunters Bay $6.30  $4.40

3 Cityscape (GB) $2.90

Race 11 – 7 Furlongs, Polytrack

1 Memories Last Love $6.80  $4.30  $2.70

2 Summer Ending $22.10  $8.80

3 Miss Scarlett Road $2.60

About this article

By: Devin Gray
Posted: Sep 19 2012 9:07 pm
Edition:
Filed under: Other Sports Sports
Topics: