First-time starter Inglorious balked at the start but rallied from last nonetheless to capture the $146,039 Fanfreluche Stakes at Woodbine Oct. 24.
Ridden by a confident Chantal Sutherland, the 2-year-old daughter of Hennessy won by 1 3/4 lengths for trainer Josie Carroll and owner Donver Stable in the six-furlong Polytrack event for Ontario-bred fillies.
Inglorious, leaving from the rail, spotted the field two lengths out of the gate as 9-10 favorite Medabuck broke alertly and carved a quick pace while tracked by Weekend Romance. Inglorious trailed by about four lengths early but rallied while widest of all rounding the turn after chasing quarter-mile fractions of :22.31 and :45.50.
Medabuck was headed at the top of the lane by Dreamy Moonlite, ridden by Justin Stein, with Weekend Romance and Patrick Husbands well-positioned for the drive. But Inglorious, responding energetically for Sutherland, challenged the leaders mid-stretch to grab the lead on the outside in the final sixteenth. Inglorious drew off impressively from there under a strong hand ride in a final time of 1:10.
Sutherland said Inglorious had trained like a star and she wasn't overly concerned with the slow dispatch.
"We had worked her from the gate before and she kind of did the same thing," explained Sutherland. "She's a good girl, very classy. I never really got to the bottom of her down the stretch."
Dreamy Moonlite finished a clear second by 2 1/4 lengths over Weekend Romance. The betting favorites Magical Merry and Medabuck, the 120-pound high weight who faded, finished out of the money in the small field.
Arosa Farms bred Inglorious, who is out of the Smart Strike mare Noble Strike. The bay filly sold for $83,556 at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) 2009 Canadian-bred yearling sale.
Owner Verne Dubinsky said one of the reasons they liked Inglorious was a key name in her pedigree.
"She's by Hennessy who is Careless Jewel's broodmare sire," he said, referring to his brilliant gray multiple stakes winner. "She was impressive."
Inglorious earned $87,624 for the victory and returned $11.40, $5.40, and $3.60 carrying 116 pounds as the fourth choice. Dreamy Moonlite, the longest shot in the field at 13-1, returned $11.20 and $4.30 and combined with the winner for a $112.50 exacta. Weekend Romance was $3.90 to show and rounded out a $2 trifecta of $420.00.
Lassair was a late veterinarian scratch.