When they last met, a photo couldn't separate Seeking The Ring and Brattothecore, as the Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies wound up in a first-place dead-heat in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes July 1 at Fort Erie.On Monday at Woodbine, they'll clash again in the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, the third jewel in the Canadian Filly Triple Tiara. This time, though, the distance is 1 1/4 mile and the surface is the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. Neither filly has ever raced on the lawn before but both will carry top weight of 119 pounds.
The Wonder Where has attracted a field of 11.Sam-Son Farm's Seeking The Ring, a full sister to 2000 Sovereign Award winner Catch The Ring, will be ridden by Todd Kabel, who has won the Wonder Where on four occasions, including last year's renewal aboard Hot Talent. The daughter of Seeking the Gold has not been worse than fourth in her five lifetime starts, all this year. The bay filly also just missed winning the 'Oaks' on June 8, falling a neck short of Too Late Now in a stretch drive.Catch The Ring was in position to win the Triple Tiara three years ago, after victories in the Labatt Woodbine Oaks and Bison City, but finished second to stablemate Misty Mission in the Wonder Where.Jam Jar Racing Stable's Brattothecore, to be ridden by Jake Barton, has worked twice on the turf since the Bison City. Unbeaten in two starts as a 2-year-old, the daughter of Katahaula County has won two of four efforts this season. The chestnut filly also finished a close fourth in the Oaks, just two lengths behind Too Late Now. Like Seeking The Ring, she has also never been worse than fourth in her six lifetime starts."She's doing good, she worked pretty good on it (turf)," said trainer John Ross. "Worked in a minute (and 4/5), galloped out in (1):15. She's in great shape. I hope the turf doesn't get too deep, too soft. In the Bison City, she really came to the forefront, after getting herself into the game in the Oaks. She put a good effort in and she's come forward since then. She's even fitter and tougher." Among the rivals are New York invader Commander's Lady, an allowance turf winner at Belmont Park for trainer Phil Serpe. Tucci Stables' My Sweet Tooch is a two-time winner on the grass. Sam-Son Farm's Swift Of Flight, a daughter of champion Sky Classic and a stablemate of Seeking The Ring, broke her maiden on the grass July 20 and was also second last year in the turf Natalma Stakes.
Too Late Now, who won the first jewel of the Canadian Filly Triple Tiara, the Labatt Woodbine Oaks, is absent after her third place finish in the Bison City.$250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada, 1 1/4 mile on turf
PP/Horse/Trainer/Jockey
1/Alpha Saphire/Malcolm Pierce/Emile Ramsammy
2/My Sweet Tooch/Janet Bedford/Simon Husbands
3/Teewee's Hope/John MacKenzie/Na Somsanith
4/Swift Of Flight/Mark Frostad/Slade Callaghan
5/Heidi's Secret/Mike Keogh/Robert Landry
6/Kabul/Jake Nemett/Jono Jones
7/Seeking The Ring/Mark Frostad/Todd Kabel
8/Queen Of Queens/Mike Doyle/David Clark
9/Miss Costello/Warren Wilcox/Jim McKnight
10/Brattothecore/John Ross/Jake Barton
11/Commander's Lady/Phil Serpe/Richard Dos Ramos