Trainer Tiller Wins Another Woodbine Stakes

(from track report)
One of Woodbine's most consistent trainers for the past eight years, Robert Tiller is off to the best start in his 30-year career.

On Saturday, Tiller won his third stakes race of the three-week old season with Brass In Pocket in the $187,250 Whimsical Stakes for older fillies and mares.

"This is great, three stakes, I don't believe it," said Tiller, following the victory. "This is unbelievable. I wasn't having a good day but this changes everything. If we keep this up, I might win a Sovereign this year. That's three in a row, that's pretty good!"

As for the horse who followed in the footsteps of Winter Garden in the Star Shoot and Rare Friends in the Jacques Cartier, Brass In Pocket collected career win number six and boosted her earnings up to $425,654 for owner Frank DiGiulio Jr.

Ridden by David Clark, the daughter of Domasca Dan was bumped and steadied from the gate. With Clark maintaining his calm, the Ontario-bred made a seven-wide bid around the final turn to pass her rivals and capture the race by a neck over Mysterious Affair.

"I didn't think she was quite fast enough," said Clark. "With the way the track played today, and the way the race developed, she ran so game and it worked out for the best. This mare just dug in and tried really hard. She turned out to be the best."

The time of the race was 1:12.69 over a main track rated "fast".

Brass in Pocket returned $19.50, $9.60, $6.00 combining with Mysterious Affair ($6.70, $4.00) for a $122.20 exacta. Fleet of Foot ($2.90) completed the $513.40 trifecta.

(Chart, Equibase)