Patient Verdana Bold Wins Star Shoot S.

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Verdana Bold ran down 3-5 favorite Authenicat to take the US$156,727 Star Shoot Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by one length at Woodbine April 13.

The victory was the first career stakes score for Verdana Bold, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Rahy--True Legacy, by A.P. Indy.

After a slow start, Wonderful Luck rallied to finish third. Verdana Bold completed the six-furlong trip on Polytrack in 1:10.59.

The Edward Seltzer-owned filly shipped to Toronto from Maryland about three weeks ago. She is now three-for-five with more than $120,000 in earnings.

For a half-mile, Verdana Bold was boxed in along the rail behind pacesetters Forestry's Magic and Victory Romance and inside of Executrix and Authenicat.

In the home stretch Authenicat was allowed to pounce on the leaders first while Verdana raced in third. To execute the upset, jockey Emile Ramsammy had to wait for the talented Josie Carroll-trained  filly to go by, angle to the outside and drive past in the final furlong.

Trainer Dan Vella, who is now three-for-five at the young Toronto meet, commended the journeyman for the effort.

"Emile is a great rider," said Vella. "He had lots of horse. He was kind of stuck in there. He didn't panic. He made her settle and she did the rest. She's a nice filly."

The Star Shoot was the first synthetic attempt for Verdana Gold, who broke her maiden in a 5 1/2-furlong turf dash at Laurel Park on Dec. 1. Vella said Seltzer wanted to try the filly on Polytrack because she had run well on turf.

Verdana Bold returned $47.60, $11.50, $5, combining with Authenicat ($2.50 $2.10), ridden by Patrick Husbands, for a $94.10 exacta. Wonderful Luck ($3.60), with James McAleney aboard, rounded out a $556.10 trifecta. Six competed.

(Chart, Equibase)

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