Atlantic Hurricane blew in at the last moment to nose out longshot Youcan'tcatchme for a repeat victory in the $156,153 Ontario Fashion Stakes (Can-III) (VIDEO) Nov. 4 at Woodbine.
Last year's champion Canadian female sprinter returned to winning form following three consecutive losses for trainer Stuart Simon. Luis Contreras was aboard the winning 5-year-old Halo's Image mare for Simon, who owns Atlantic Hurricane in partnership.
Breaking from the rail, Atlantic Hurricane came from off the pace to win the six-furlong test of fillies and mares in a good 1:09.57 over the Polytrack. Atlantic Hurricane won for the second time in six starts this year.
"It’s seems to have been one thing after another this year with her," said Simon, whose ownership group includes Brent and Russ McClellan, and Carl Hollick. "We were hoping to get things ironed out for today’s effort. Luis did everything perfectly. It was a really good trip."
Youcan'tcatch was an unlucky second after taking in the lead from front-running Mo Jo Queen at the sixteenth pole. Favored Roxy Gap, seeking her fourth graded stakes win of the Woodbine meet, rallied belatedly to get the show spot over Mo Jo Queen. The latter set swift early fractions of :21.96 and :44.73 and gave way grudgingly after leading past midstretch.
Seventh early, Atlantic Hurricane rallied four wide to get up under a drive from Contreras.
Bred in Florida by Joseph and Thomas Di Grazia, Atlantic Queen notched her 10th lifetime win from 21 races. The chestnut mare is out of the unraced It's the Cats Meow, by Stormy Atlantic .
The victory, worth $90,378 to the winning connections, boosted Atlantic Hurricane's overall earnings to $618,958. Atlantic Hurricane won the Ontario Fashion by a half length in 2011, when she won six of eight races to earn year-end honors.
Carrying 116 pounds, Atlantic Hurricane paid $8, $4.70, $3.30. Youcan'tcatchme, ridden by Omar Moreno, returned $16.10 and $8.80, and was part of an $89.50 exacta. Roxy Gap, who raced with blinkers for Patrick Husbands, paid $2.80 as the 124-pound high weight.
Mo Jo Queen was followed by Her Smile, Tu Endie Wei, Honey Chile, and Mullins Beach.