Shared Account, last year’s winner of the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), figures to draw a good deal of interest in the Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine Sept 18, as she takes on 13 fellow distaffers in the turf test at about 1 1/8 miles.
It will mark only the second start of the year for the 5-year-old Pleasantly Perfect mare trained by Graham Motion.
The Canadian, for fillies and mares, is race 5 on the card and is scheduled for a 2:59 p.m. post and it will be televised by TVG.
Shared Account, who will break from the 8 post under Edgar Prado, defeated prominent European filly Midday in the Filly & Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles last November at Churchill Downs to end the season. In her sole start this year she finished a non-threatening fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Pimlico in May as the 125-pound top weight. She carries 121 pounds in the Canadian, four pounds less than highweight Zagora totes.
French-bred Zagora, a multiple group III winner in her native land in 2010, has won or placed in five graded stakes in North America since her arrival in the second half of last year. The Green Tune filly, trained by Chad Brown, won the 1 1/8-mile Diana Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga July 30 in her last start and has been working steadily at the Spa since that triumph. Javier Castellano, her rider in the Diana, gets a return call.
Bay to Bay and Irish-bred Mekong Melody, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Diana, will give it a go in the Canadian. Bay to Bay, by Sligo Bay , won the Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT) in June at Woodbine and then finished second in the Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-IIT) at the Toronto track. Mekong Melody, by Cape Cross and a three-time stakes winner last year, stuck around after the Diana to finish fourth in the Ballston Spa (gr. IIT) at Saratoga.
Miss Keller, last year’s Canadian Stakes winner, is searching for her first win of the year. By Montjeu, Irish-bred Miss Keller has run unplaced in all four starts, three of which were graded stakes, but finished gamely in the Dance Smartly at Woodbine two races back.
Magic Broomstick, third in last year’s Canadian Stakes, will be making her second start of the year in this year’s running. The daughter of More Than Ready enters off an 8 1/2-length allowance triumph at a mile on grass at Woodbine July 24.
Stars to Shine, who breaks from the outside post, sports a score in the Belle Mahone Stakes over Woodbine’s Polytrack Aug. 20 in her last start. The daughter of Tale of the Cat worked five furlongs in :59.20 at Woodbine Sept. 11, best of the 51 workouts that mornings.
Fantasia, by Irish great Sadler's Wells, heads into the Canadian Stakes off a solid fourth in the Beverly D. (gr. IT) at Arlington Park. She won the Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Arlington as a prep for the Beverly D. and was graded stakes placed in her other three starts this year.
Never Retreat, who has won six stakes during her career, sports three graded stakes wins this year, including a triumph in the Dance Smartly. The daughter of Smart Strike also ran second in the Nassau Stakes.
$300,000 Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT, Race 5, 2:59 p.m.) Fillies and Mares, 3 and Up, About 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Perfect Shirl, P Husband, 119, R L Attfield
2. Fantasia, R Maragh, 119, J E Sheppard
3. Magic Broomstick, E Wilson, 113, M R Frostad
4. Mekong Melody, J R Velazquez, 119, R L Attfield
5. Forest Uproar, O Moreno, 113, M R Frostad
6. Bay to Bay, L Contreras, 121, B A Lynch
7. Woolly Bear, R A Dos Ramos, 113, D England
8. Shared Account, E S Prado, 121, H G Motion
9. Never Retreat, J R Leparoux, 121, C M Block
10. Hooh Why, T Pizarro, 113, M Hoffman
11. Miss Keller, G K Gomez, 119, R L Attfield
12. Apple Charlotte, S Russell, 113, H G Motion
13. Zagora, J Castellano, 124, C C Brown
14. Stars to Shine, W T Buick, 115, M R Frostad