Bargain filly Anam Cara streaks into Victorian Queen Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Anam Cara puts her unbeaten record on the line in the $100,000 Victorian Queen, one of two Ontario-sired stakes for 2-year-olds going about seven furlongs on the turf Saturday at Woodbine.

Anam Cara rallied inside to land her five-furlong debut and then doubled up in the $201,600 Muskoka, a 6 1/2-furlong stakes for graduates of Canadian yearling sales.

Jockey Patrick Husbands said Anam Cara lost a shoe in the gate in the Muskoka, but owner-trainer Sarah Ritchie said the diminutive gray had no problem getting the job done.

“Not too much fazes her,” Ritchie said. “She’s supersmart, so it didn’t surprise me at all that she ran on like that. She’s not big, but she’s tough. She’s probably been the most uncomplicated baby I’ve ever worked with. She’s just a nice horse to be around and to train every day.”

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Ritchie paid just $3,000 for Anam Cara at the Canadian Premier Yearling Sale.

“She was really correct and had a great walk,” Ritchie recalled. “Everything about her I loved – she was just small.”

Anam Cara worked five-eighths in 1:00.20 on the turf training course Sept. 11 in preparation for her first turf start Saturday.

“She’s doing really well,” Ritchie said. “Patrick breezed her on the turf, and to me, it was probably her most impressive breeze. The way she did it, it was really professional.”

Ritchie said she has the resisted the temptation to sell Anam Cara and has reaped the rewards so far.

“I turned down an offer after her [maiden] win,” Ritchie explained. “Everybody told me I was crazy. I thought she was a work short going into the first race. If she ran that well when I thought she was short, then how could she not be better? The sales stakes was coming up, and if she could win it, then she’s well worth turning down that offer.

“After she won the sales stakes, I turned down a couple more on her, because for what I bought her for, she owes me nothing. How often when you’re this small do you get to have one of those really nice babies, especially one that you own yourself?”

The Victorian Queen lured seven other fillies, including the Sid Attard-trained duo of Ancient Spirit and Silver Sign.

Bull Page

Awesome Bourbon possesses the most experience in the male version of the Victorian Queen, the $100,000 Bull Page. His stalking style bodes well in a six-horse field with ample speed.

After ending up second in three consecutive races, Awesome Bourbon captured an open maiden special most recently going three-quarters on the Tapeta.

“He’s a versatile horse,” trainer Ricky Griffith said. “He has run well on the Tapeta and the turf, and you can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Poulin in O T won his first two starts with ease on the lead, including the Victoria Stakes. He found 6 1/2 furlongs on the grass too far most recently when seventh in the Soaring Free Stakes.

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