A Raffi hatty
Jockey Rafael Hernandez netted the natural hat trick on Saturday, winning the second race with Kitten’s Romance, the third with Pleasure’s Gold and the fourth with Silken Dollar. A 20-cent Hernandez Pick 3 returned $38.89. The veteran rider is closing in on 3,070 career wins and has recorded 148 stakes victories.
Millie Girl power
Millie Girl, trained and co-owned by Catherine Day Phillips, won her second straight graded race on Saturday. With Rafael Hernandez in the irons, the 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun-Mendocino Beano rallied from well back to take the $150,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3), at 1 ¼ miles on the Tapeta. One race earlier, the dark bay mare, bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry, took the Ontario Matron (G3).
Longshot special
Little Teddy, a 2-year-old daughter of Frac Daddy-Explosive Leah, went off at 48-1 in Saturday’s last race, a 6 ½-furlong race over the Tapeta for maiden 2-year-old fillies. After being bumped by a rival at the start, the Santino Di Paola trainee recovered and went on to cross the wire a half-length winner. A $2 win bet returned $98.10.
Holding Court
On Sunday, in the sixth race, Gun Court, sent off as the 7-2 third choice in the field of 10, got away fourth at the start of the 6 ½-furlong Tapeta race for 2-year-olds. The son of Souper Speedy-Civic Duty then set the pace between runners and held a 2 ½-length lead at the half-mile mark. On top by five lengths at the stretch call, the bay gelding widened his advantage at will, crossing the wire a 9 ¾-length winner.
Big-time rush
Apprentice jockey Austin Adams won his first career race on Sunday. Teaming with Big Time Louie, a 6-year-old dark bay son of Second in Command-Danny’s Chant, the pair won the 5 ½-furlong main track race by a half-length. The British Columbia-bred bay returned $38.30 for a $2 win bet.
Worth hearing
“She’s such a special filly, she’s a little quirky as you could see. She behaved better today in the winner’s circle but then had enough. When she’s had enough, she’s had enough. She’s very strong-willed.”
– Catherine Day Phillips, after Millie Girl won Saturday’s Maple Leaf Stakes (G3)
Worth watching
Loyalty, sent off as the slight 3-1 choice in Saturday’s $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (G2), rocketed home to take top prize in the seven-furlong main track tilt for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up. Owned by Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, the Florida-bred daughter of Hard Spun-Slew’s Quality is now 7-0-2 from 11 career starts.
Worth knowing
The $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) will see 3-year-olds and up tackle six furlongs on the Tapeta this Saturday. Hall of Fame champion Pink Lloyd won the race on three occasions. Candy Overload, under Sahin Civaci, took last year’s running.
https://woodbine.com/stakes-schedule/
The post Weekend Notables & Quotables (November 11-12) appeared first on Woodbine Racetrack.
