Six stakes races, all featuring recent graduates of Woodbine's local yearling auction, were in the spotlight at the Toronto track Sunday.Multiple stakes winners Mobil (Halton, turf), One For Rose (Algoma, distaff) Moonshine Justice (Simcoe, juvenile) and Forever Grand (Kenora, sprint), plus Just In Case Jimmy (Elgin, 3-year-olds and upward) and Simply Lovely (Muskoka, juvenile fillies) were victorious.None of the six winners were worse than third choice in the wagering. Todd Kabel was the riding hero of the day, winning three stakes and five races on the day. The 2004 Canadian-bred Yearling Sale takes place at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion on Tuesday.HALTON STAKES
Mobil, as the heavy favorite, kicked off Sunday's stakes festival at Woodbine in style with an easy 3 ½-length win in the $128,750 Halton Stakes.The Gus Schickedanz silk-bearer appeared the most likely winner, on paper, of the afternoon's six stakes races.Kabel guided the 4-year-old son of Langfuhr to the win in 1:46.97 for 1 1/8 miles of turf for trainer Mike Keogh.Mobil paid $2.30 to win. Lenny the Lender ($4.30 exacta) and Jambalar finished second and third, respectively, in a race which featured no place or show wagering.
(Chart, Equibase)ALGOMA STAKES
One For Rose, last year's Sovereign Award champion Older Mare, turned the tables on Winning Chance, capturing the $125,625 Algoma Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths on Sunday.After being bested by Winning Chance in the Belle Mahone on July 18, One For Rose was once again a thorn in the side of her gray rival, blowing past in late stretch. Sent off as the favorite in the four-horse field, the Tucci Stables' star paid $3.00 to win. Winning Chance held for second, capping a modest $4.60 exacta. Kissed By A Prince and Miss Crissy were third and fourth, respectively. There was no place or show wagering.
(Chart, Equibase)SIMCOE STAKES
With Kabel in the irons, Moonshine Justice battled hoof-and-nail with Olympia Fields in a serious stretch duel, the son of Whiskey Wisdom besting his rival by a scant neck in Sunday's $136,125 Simcoe Stakes, a seven-furlong main track affair.After Kabel rallied his charge three wide in the final turn, a stubborn Olympia Fields, under Emile Ramsammy, dug in gamely on the rail, battling determinedly to the wire.It was the third consecutive win – all in stakes events – for the David Cotey trainee, a dark bay colt who has provided plenty of jolt so far in his fledgling career.Cotey co-owns the horse with Derek Ball and Hugh Galbraith.Moonshine Justice, who stopped the clock in 1:24.68, paid $4.50 to win and combined with Olympia Fields for $21.10 exacta. Galaxy was another four lengths back in third, rounding out the $50.10 trifecta.
(Chart, Equibase)ELGIN
Trailing throughout most of the 1 1/16-mile, $134,125 Elgin Stakes, rider Richard Dos Ramos moved Just In Case Jimmy into contention around the final turn, before engaging leader Cool N Collective in early stretch, drawing off to a 1 3/4-length score.The bay gelding, trained, and co-owned with Bill Werner, by Roger Attfield, let his rivals do the early legwork before hitting his best stride to claim his first stakes triumph and third lifetime score from 14 starts. The final time for the two-turn tilt over a fast main track was 1:44.56.Not bad for a horse who raced just one week ago at the Toronto oval.He paid $9.40, $3.90 and $2.70 across the board, combining with Cool N Collective ($3.20, $2.50) for a $23.60 exacta. Peef ($3.50) capped off a $93.10 trifecta.
(Chart, Equibase)MUSKOKA
After enduring an early tussle with a trio of rivals in the $136,000 Muskoka Stakes at seven furlongs, Simply Lovely, a daughter of Bold Executive, slammed the door shut on her seven rivals with authority. She went on to a comfortable 2 1/4-length winner in just her second lifetime start.The Robert Tiller trainee, who finished second by six lengths to Muskoka rival and 3-5 favorite Imagine The Ruckus, put away that foe and held off late-closing Victorious Ami to take top honors.Owned by Rocco Marcello, Simply Lovely paid $14.80, $6.10 and $4.80 across the board. Victorious Ami ($4.80, $4.10) completed a $63.90 exacta, while Silver Impulse ($7.10) rounded out a handsome $523.70 trifecta.
(Chart, Equibase)KENORA
Kabel capped off a series of brilliant performances on Yearling Sales Stakes Day, coming from well back with Forever Grand to win the $131,375 Kenora Stakes.It was the second consecutive Kenora triumph for Forever Grand, and the third straight Kenora and third added-money victory on the day for Kabel (five in total).The Toronto oval's leading rider, on track to eclipse the late Avelino Gomez' record of 32 stakes wins in one season, kept the son of War Deputy well back of the early battlers, patiently waiting for his moment to unleash a late kick.Trained by Noel Randall, Forever Grand is now just under $38,000 away from $1 million in earnings. Randall claimed the horse in his last start, a second-place finish at Woodbine on August 4."I was a little nervous, to tell you the truth," said Randall, who notched his first career stakes victory. "I'm flabbergasted."Forever Grand paid $7.60, $3.80 and $4.20 across the board, combining Shaws Creek ($16.00 and $13.80) and Crease Infraction ($9.90) for a $139.50 exacta and $1,138.70 trifecta.
(Chart, Equibase)
