Academic returns to Baker barn

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After her triumphs against males in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in western Canada, Academic has rejoined trainer Reade Baker at Woodbine.

The Woodbine Oaks winner arrived at Woodbine late Friday night. Baker said Saturday that he had no immediate plans for Academic’s next race and was unsure whether she’d be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland at the end of the month.

“She just arrived back in Ontario, and I don’t know what she’s going to be doing,” he said.

Academic had been with trainer Tim Rycroft for her starts in the Canadian Derby at Northlands Park and the British Columbia Derby at Hastings. After finishing last of 14 in the Queen’s Plate, Academic shipped out to Rycroft at Northlands Park at the beginning of August. Rycroft said he enjoyed his short time training Academic.

“She was great,” Rycroft said. “She had a few little quirks they told me about, but we found her to be no problem. She took to these bullrings and the dirt. She was great out here.”

Now back east, Academic could continue to build on an impressive 2015 campaign that has her on top of the 3-year-old filly division in Canada.

Academic spent this past winter at Curraghmore Farm in Waterdown, Ontario, after recording just a runner-up finish in three starts as a 2-year-old. When she won first time out this season, Baker and owner Danny Dion of Bear Stables decided to supplement her to the Woodbine Oaks, a race she won in track-record time as a 66-1 longshot.

Her 2015 debut “was a good race,” Baker said. “I didn’t think the competition was overwhelming [in the Oaks]. I thought, ‘Why not try?’ ”

By all accounts, Academic is one tough filly, and her headstrong nature was on full display in the Queen’s Plate. Academic found herself in an early speed duel with Sweet Grass Creek that proved costly for both the filly and the colt.

“It didn’t go very well that day,” Baker said. “Nobody was going to withstand that duel. She has a mind of her own. She wants to do her own thing at her own pace, and you have to work with her.”

That description sounds all too familiar to Dr. John Brown, who bred Academic at Spring Farm in Granton, Ontario. Brown said even as a foal, the small filly only wanted things to go one way.

“She basically wants to do things her way,” he said. “If it’s her way, that’s fine. She was tough, and I think that shows in her racing.”

Academic is the seventh foal out of Awesome Lass, who has been a very productive mare for Brown and Spring Farm. Along with Academic, Awesome Lass has produced two other stakes winners, Awesome Fire and Secret Wish, and another three foals have each earned close to $100,000. But like Academic, most of the foals out of Awesome Lass have not performed well in the sales ring.

“We’ve never got big bucks for them,” Brown said. “I really believe that people put too much emphasis on size. If you don’t have a fair bit of size, it definitely hurts you at the sale.”

Academic first went through the sales ring as a yearling at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) Canadian premier yearling sale at Woodbine in 2013. The bidding stopped at $20,000 and did not meet the reserve. That’s when Brown sent Academic to Woodbine trainer Ricky Griffith in Florida to get her prepped for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training in April 2014. Baker and Dion purchased her there for $54,000.

“I picked her out at the 2-year-olds-in-training sale,” Baker said. “She had gone through the Woodbine sale, but I don’t remember seeing her there. Danny had me look at all of the Canadian-breds at the OBS sale. I kind of liked her. She was a little on the small side, but I couldn’t see anything wrong with her.”

Brown said he’s enjoyed watching Academic on the track this year and believes there could be big things ahead for her.

“She’s almost a freak in a way,” Brown said. “I don’t know how good she is. I think she can run on any surface. As long as she stays sound, she could be a pretty nice horse for a while. She sure hasn’t raced a lot.”

Rycroft, who said Academic is one of the best horses he’s ever trained, agreed.

“She’s running so good right now that I feel the filly deserves a shot to go somewhere and be something special,” he said.