(from Woodbine report)
Kingfield Racing Stable's Jambalaya and Augustin Stable's Autumn Snow head a wide-open field of nine Canadian-bred 3-year-olds for Sunday's $500,000 Breeders' Stakes on the Woodbine turf.The Breeders', the third and final jewel in Canada's Triple Crown, will go postward at 5:14 p.m ET.The 1 1/2-mile race, contested over Woodbine's E.P. Taylor Turf Course, will have its 115th running in 2005.While there will be no Triple Crown winner this year (Wild Desert won the Queen's Plate, while Ablo took the Prince of Wales), the Breeders' field is a well-matched one. Jambalaya, the 5-2 morning line choice, will try to give trainer Catherine Day Phillips a second consecutive Breeders' title. Day Phillips saddled A Bit O'Gold to victory in 2004. Regular rider Jono Jones, who guided A Bit O'Gold to a 1 3/4-length win last year, gets the call from post nine. The dark bay son of Langfuhr is two-for-two on the turf, both wins coming in his last two starts.The first came on June 12, a 1 1/2-length win over Breeders' rival Area Limits at 1 3/8 miles. On July 14, the $2,500 (U.S.) Keeneland September yearling sale purchase scored a 2 1/2-length win over 1 1/16 miles of Woodbine turf."He's been training very well," said Day Phillips of the Ontario-bred, who is making his Triple Crown debut. "We've always liked him. He didn't show much on the dirt, but he's been developing beautifully since moving to the turf."Day Phillips became the first female trainer to win a Breeders' last year.Autumn Snow is the 7-2 second choice after a strong second to Ablo in the Prince of Wales.Robert Landry, who won the Breeders' in 1999 with Pinafore Park, picks up the mount for an injured Francine Villeneuve and will leave from post five.The bay son of Lite The Fuse has come into his own as the distances have lengthened, having not missed the board in the three two-turn races for trainer Mac Benson.Benson has two Breeders' wins (Bridle Path, 1979; Bounding Away, 1984).Area Limits, the Breeders' third choice at 4-1, drew post eight. Like Jambalaya, the son of Boundary is making his Triple Crown debut.Owned by Harlequin Ranches, Bill Werner, and trainer Roger Attfield, the chestnut is still a maiden, but has three straight second-place finishes on turf. The most significant result was his second to T.D. Vance in the Toronto Cup on July 16.He will be piloted by regular rider Jim McAleney, seeking his second Breeders' title.Attfield is going for a record eighth Breeders' championship. $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, 3-year-old Canadian-breds, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
PP/Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey/Odds
1/Stephen's Gift/Monte Christo Stable & Florida Racing/John Ross/Steve Bahen/8-1
2/Welcome Again/Stronach Stables/Robert Frankel/Todd Kabel/8-1
3/See The Wind/Sam-Son Farm/Mark Frostad/Garry Cruise/10-1
4/Molinaro Beau/Molinaro Stable/Phil England/David Clark/12-1
5/Autumn Snow/Augustin Stable/Mac Benson/Robert Landry/7-2
6/Utmost Respect/Minshall Farms/Barb Minshall/Dino Luciani/20-1
7/Slew's Saga/Karen & Mickey Taylor/Robert Tiller/Na Somsanith/15-1
8/Area Limits/Attfield, Harlequin & Werner/Roger Attfield/Jim McAleney/4-1
9/Jambalaya/Kingfield Racing Stable Ltd./Catherine Day Phillips/Jono Jones/5-2All carry 126 pounds except filly See The Wind (121).
