Sisterly Love, coming off her first stakes win in a romp over the Polytrack at Woodbine, returns for a shot at her first graded victory in the $150,000 Ontario Matron (Can-III) July 20.
Gary Barber's 5-year-old daughter of Bellamy Road won the Trillium Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths June 8, her first win in four starts this year for trainer Mark Casse. In the Ontario Matron, for fillies and mares 3 and up, she will face six opponents also at 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack. The race is the eighth on the Saturday card with a 4:28 p.m. EDT scheduled post.
Sisterly Love began her career last year, winning all three of her starts. She made her stakes debut in the inaugural Houston Ladies Classic Jan, 26 at Sam Houston Race Park, finishing third behind Joyful Victory. The bay mare next ran fifth in the Top Flight Handicap (gr. II) March 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Casse gave her some time off before her next start April 28 in the six-furlong Whimsical Stakes (Can-III) but the move failed to pay dividends when Sisterly Love was no factor while eighth as the 2-1 favorite. She stretched out once again in the Trillium, leading all the way under Eurico Rosa Da Silva in a dominating performance.
Da Silva remains aboard Sisterly Love for the Ontario Matron and they break from post 3. Sisterly Love carries top weight of 119 pounds, two more than each of her rivals.
Casse also entered Eugene Melynyk's 6-year-old Speightstown mare Eagle Hall, who makes her stakes debut following a pair of allowance/optional victories at Woodbine. She most recently captured an off-the-turf heat by 2 1/2 lengths June 22. Gary Boulanger has the return ride from the rail post.
An intriguing newcomer is Godolphin Racing's Layali Dubai, a former synthetic track specialist in England. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Street Sense filly made her United States debut in a five-length triumph June 19 over the Polytrack at Arlington Park, an allowance/optional claiming test at the Matron distance.
Now based at Keeneland and trained by Eoin Harty, Layali Dubai was four-for-five on synthetic surfaces at Wolverhampton and Lingfield, her only loss by a nose. She flopped in a pair of main track efforts at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates prior to shipping stateside. Justin Stein takes the call.
Robert S. Evans' Kentucky homebred Yellow Boat returned from a 19-month layoff in April and has since posted a second and first in two starts at the first-level allowance level for trainer Mark Frostad. The 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid filly graduated at Belmont Park in her second start in September 2011.
Welcome Dance, a two-time stakes winner last year on the grass at Delaware Park, will try synthetic for the first time. Michael Matz conditions the 4-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes for owner/breeder Ramona Bass.
Recent Woodbine allowance winner Logan's Peak and Pure Blue Sky, fifth last time in the Trillium after a slow start, complete the field.
$150,000 Ontario Matron Stakes (Can-III, Race 8, 4:28 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Eagle Hall (FL), G Boulanger, 117, M E Casse
2. Logan's Peak (ON), J M Campbell, 117, N Gonzalez
3. Sisterly Love (KY), E R Da Silva, 119, M E Casse
4. Pure Blue Sky (KY), T Pizarro, 117, S Di Pasquale
5. Layali Dubai (KY), J Stein, 117, E G Harty
6. Yellow Boat (KY), T Kabel, 117, M R Frostad
7. Welcome Dance (KY), L Contreras, 117, M R Matz
Sisterly Love won the Trillium Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths June 8.
Michael Burns