Ageless ties course record in Royal North score

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ageless, the favored shipper from Maryland, tied the six-furlong course record while landing her third stakes in a row in the $153,700 Royal North at Woodbine Sunday.

Goldstryke Glory darted out to the lead in the Grade 3 event for fillies and mares, and set sizzling fractions of 21.73 and 43.66 over the extra firm turf. Ageless commenced a rally from fourth exiting the turn, and then hit the front inside the eighth pole before holding off 9-1 shot Sky Treasure by a half-length in 1:07.39. Goldstryke Glory faded, but held on for third in a field reduced to nine with the scratch of Mekong Delta.

Luis Garcia rode the 5-year-old Ageless for trainer Arnaud Delacour.

“I got a little worried when she broke sharp,” said Garcia. “But she’s really easy to relax. I took a hold, and sat behind horses. I tried to wait as long as I could, because she has that last eighth of a mile run. When she made the lead too soon, she started waiting. When I asked her, she started running.”

Ageless ($7.10) banked $90,000 for the Lael Stable of Barbaro fame.