Two-year-olds are again in the spotlight at Woodbine this weekend, with the Mazarine Stakes (Can-III) for fillies set for Oct. 10 and the Grey Stakes (Can-III) following a day later. The $250,000 Polytrack events are both contested at 1 1/16 miles.
Eight fillies are entered in the Mazarine, with Bay to Bay, the recent winner of the grassy Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT) listed as the 5-2 favorite. Seven are set to go in the Grey, with Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's homebred William's Kitten, runaway winner of the off-the-turf Sunday Silence Stakes at Louisiana Downs, squaring off against Ghost Fleet, who captured Woodbine's Swynford last month.
The Mazarene goes as the eighth race, while the Grey is the sixth race.
Robert Smithen's Bay to Bay has won back-to-back races for trainer Brian Lynch after taking the Natalma Sept. 19 in fine fashion by three-quarters of a length. The Natalma win earned Bay to Bay a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf but she is not nominated, so Lynch is opting to run her back over Polytrack. The daughter of Sligo Bay broke her maiden on Woodbine's all-weather track by two lengths in her second start a month prior to the Natalma.
David Clark, who has ridden the bay filly in all three of her previous races, retains the mount. they break from post 4 with 122 pounds, spotting the rest of the field seven or nine pounds.
Cascading stretches out for trainer Josie Carroll after clicking against maidens at first asking by two lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs over the track Sept. 11.
Bred and owned by Hill 'n' Dale Farm and Edward McGhee, the promising dark bay filly is by A.P. Indy out of the Storm Cat mare Teeming, a half-sister to champion and 2007 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Rags to Riches, 2006 Belmont winner Jazil, and 2008 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) victor Casino Drive.
Jenny's So Great nearly upset Ghost Fleet when taking on males in the Swynford Sept. 13, rallying at the top of the stretch only to come up a neck shy while finishing 5 1/2 lengths clear of the show horse. Greg de Gannes trains the Ontario-bred daughter of Greatness for Bill and Vicki Poston.
William's Kitten, a son of Kitten's Joy trained by Mike Maker, won the Sunday Silence by 4 3/4 lengths Sept. 19. The dark bay colt, a winner of two of four starts, will be ridden by Victor Lebron while taking on six local horses in the Grey.
Ghost Fleet has been heavily favored in his last three starts, winning both the Vandal and the Swynford for Jim Dandy Stable and trainer Sid Attard. The Ontario-bred colt, by Arch out of the Housebuster mare Destroy, has earned $235,300 in four starts at Woodbine. His only loss came in an off-the-board finish in allowance race on the turf prior to the Swynford.
De Gannes entered a pair of Ontario-bred geldings in Mobthewarrior and Ring My Surprise. Mobthewarrior, by Mobil , is coming off a runner-up effort in Woodbine's Simcoe Stakes Sept. 7 and ran third, five lengths behind Ghost Fleet, in the Vandal. Ring My Surprise owns consecutive wins, taking a first-level allowance at one mile and seventy yards in his most recent try Sept. 18.
Bear Stables is represented by Bear Tough Guy, who broke his maiden in his debut at Woodbine Sept. 13 for trainer Reade Baker. Korvette Kid tries the main track for Daniel Vella after finishing sixth in the Summer Stakes (gr. IIIT) on grass Sept. 19.
$250,000 Mazarine Stakes (Can-III, Race 8, 4:26 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Resentless (ON), C Sutherland, 115, I Howard, 8/1
2. Witch's Coven (KY), E Wilson, 115, D R Bell, 10/1
3. Jenny's So Great (ON), E Ramsammy, 115, G de Gannes, 4/1
4. Bay to Bay (FL), D Clark, 122, B A Lynch, 5/2
5. Cascading (KY), P Husbands, 115, J Carroll, 3/1
6. Biofuel (KY), E R Da Silva, 115, R Baker, 10/1
7. Jackpot Joanie (KY), L Contreras, 113, S M Asmussen, 10/1
8. Pretty Pretty Girl (KY), J McAleney, 115, S H Fairlie, 15/1
$250,000 Grey Stakes (Can-III, Race 6, 3:27 p.m.), 2-Year-Olds, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Mobthewarrior (ON), E Ramsammy, 115, G de Gannes
2. Rein King (FL), P Husbands, 115, J P Terranova, II
3. Ring My Surprise (ON), R A Dos Ramos, 117, G de Gannes
4. William's Kitten (KY), V Lebron, 122, M J Maker
5. Ghost Fleet (ON), T Kabel, 122, S C Attard
6. Korvette Kid (KY), J McAleney, 115, D J Vella
7. Bear Tough Guy (FL), E R Da Silva, 115, R Baker
Blinkers On: Mobthewarrior
Natalma Stakes winner Bay to Bay is the 5-2 favorite for the Mazarine.
Michael Burns