The 6 ½-furlong Hendrie will be run on the Polytrack. It is open to fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up.
Bred in Ireland by Edmond and Richard Kent, Dhanyata began her successful career in England, where she won twice, including the Totepool Sirenia (Eng-III) in 2006 as a 3-year-old. That victory on Kempton Park’s synthetic surface was one reason owner Peter Bradley III opted to send her to Eddie Kenneally late last year.
“She came to me last winter,” Kenneally said. “She had a few minor ailments, but nothing too serious. The owner said she ran really well over Polytrack and felt she would have a good shot over here.”
Dhanyata, a now a 5-year-old, fell a neck short of taking the Sky Bet Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) in September 2006 on the turf. She made one more start before being shut down for over a year. The daughter of Danetime--Preponderance, by Cyrana de Bergerac, made her comeback and North American debut March 6 on the dirt at Gulfstream Park, finishing fourth in an allowance-optional claiming contest.
“She ran okay on the dirt, but we feel like she’ll like the Polytrack more,” Kenneally said. “I would think she needed that first start under her, and now she’ll be ready for a bigger effort. She’s trained really well.
“I need to get a look at where the speed is, but my guess is that she’ll lay right off the pace. We wouldn’t be sending her all the way to Canada if we didn’t think she had a big shot.”
James McAleney will get the mount on Dhanyata, who ships in from Keeneland, where she worked three times over Polytrack in April.
Competition should come in the form of Tucci Stables’ My List, who enters off a victory in the six furlong Whimsical Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine April 20, where she defeated three current Hendrie entrants. The win was My List’s second straight, as she also took the Bessarabian Stakes last November. The 4-year-old Banker's Gold filly ran in claiming company for trainer Nicholas Gonzalez as recently as Oct. 14, but is clearly in the finest form of her career, which has produced a 5-5-5 record from 20 starts. Eurico Rosa Da Silva gets the call.
Also to be considered is Hidden Creek Farm’s Street Sounds, who comes off a second-place finish in the April 9 Vinery Madison (gr. II) at Keeneland. It was the first start of the year for the 4-year-old Street Cry filly. Street Sounds has done her best running on Polytrack, finishing on the board in all four starts, including a victory in last year’s Stonerside Beaumont (gr. II) at Keeneland. Jono Jones rides for trainer Michael Matz.
The early speed that Kenneally wants could come from Marina Ballerina, a 4-year-old Outflanker filly, who has gone gate-to-wire three times in her 16-start career. She breaks from post 11 with Justin Stein aboard.
$150,000 Hendrie Stakes(Can-III, Race 8, 4:33 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 6 1/2 Furlongs (Polytrack)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. One Across, 113, Patrick Husbands
2. Saoirse Cat, 113, Chantal Sutherland
3. Dhanyata, 119, James McAleney
4. Street Sounds, 121, Jono C. Jones
5. My List, 119, Eurico Rosa Da Silva
6. Quelle Beaute, 113, Robert C. Landry
7. Dance to My Tune, 117, Constant Montpellier
8. Sudsy Baby, 113, Tyler Pizarro
9. Star Operator, 113, Justin Stein
10. Shawanaga, 113, David Clark
11. Marina Ballerina, 113, Justin Stein