Tasty Temptation, considered one of the most talented 3-year-old fillies in Canada, came from far back on the turn to register a half-length win in the $232,403 Wonder Where Stakes, the third jewel of the nation's Triple Tiara held at Woodbine July 25 (VIDEO).
Jockey Patrick Husbands guided the Ontario-bred daughter of hot sire Medaglia d'Oro wide off the final turn on Woodbine's soft turf course and rallied her between rivals mid-stetch to get up in the final stages over 33-1 shot First Circle.
Tasty Temptation, who ran fourth against males in the Queen's Plate in her previous start, picked up her first stakes win in the 1 1/4-mile Wonder Where for owner Woodford Racing and trainer Mark Casse. The final time over the slick going, caused by heavy afternoon showers, was 2:10.81.
First Circle took the lead after a crawling opening quarter mile of :27.74 and took the field of nine sophomore fillies to deep stretch after clicking off a half-mile in :53.87 and six furlongs in 1:19.90. The mile spilt was 1:45.37.
Racing without blinkers, Tasty Temptation rated in eighth for the first mile, then launched her bid late on the final turn. She reached contention quickly as the field spread out in the stretch for the drive to the wire. Staying toward the inside, the gray/roan fought through determinedly to collar First Circle, a full sister to Breeders' Stakes winner Marlang, inside the sixteenth pole.
Forest Uproar, making her third lifetime start, finished third, 1 3/4 lengths farther back. Gore Bay, who led early, was fourth, while 3-2 favorite Miss Blakely finished fifth.
Husbands said he was able to settle the winning filly early because she didn't have blinkers for the first time since February.
"The game plan was to let her run away from (the gate) and let her be. Fortunately, she was relaxed off the bridle. Today, with no blinkers on, I was on a different horse."
Tasty Temptation was an unlucky second to Hooh Why in the La Lorgnette in May. She ran second to Milwaukee Appeal in the June 7 Woodbine Oaks after a poor break. In the Queen's Plate two weeks later, she got caught wide on the final turn and ran on evenly while beaten just three lengths.
The Wonder Where was Tasty Temptation's second career turf try. She had finished sixth in a Woodbine maiden event on the lawn in her second start last December.
"I felt pretty comfortable that she could handle the turf," said Casse. "You never know with a 'soft' turf."
The filly is now two-for-10 in her career with $363,081 in earnings.
"I'm just glad she won so I don't have to hear that she's only a one-time winner. I'm so tired of hearing that," Casse said. "I've trained a lot of horses that don't like to win. She isn't one of them. It's just been a matter of bad circumstances. She's run against some of the best 3-year-old fillies in North America. She showed her class today."
Josham Farms bred Tasty Temptation, who sold for $170,000 at the 2007 Keeneland Association September yearling sale. She is out of Parisia, by Tethra.
The second choice, Tasty Temptation returned $6.10, $4.60 and $3.40, combining with First Circle ($25.40, $17.80) for a $157.50 exacta. Forest Uproar ($4) rounded out a trifecta worth $816.40. Gore Bay completed a $1 superfecta worth $4,040.80.
Miss Blakely, who was jostled in the home stretch, was followed by Dance for Us, Flashy Got Even, Retraceable, and Justoutoftheblue.