Bear Paw enters Trillium Stakes in top form

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear Paw recorded her first stakes win in last season’s Classy ’n Smart Stakes and will seek her first graded stakes victory in Sunday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Trillium Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta at Woodbine.

Bear Paw had a productive 2018 campaign as a 3-year-old, recording two wins and five runner-up finishes in 10 starts, highlighted by her win against older horses in the Classy ’n Smart. Bear Paw also finished second in the Algoma and La Prevoyante stakes last season.

Bear Paw has started her 2019 campaign positively. She finished second in an allowance event over seven furlongs May 5 and then won at the same level when stretching out around two turns May 26.

“We’re in good order,” trainer Ashlee Brnjas said. “There are a lot of nice horses in this race, but I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I feel very privileged to train this horse.”

The Trillium drew an 11-horse field that includes four other stakes winners: She’s the Berries, Dixie Moon, Miss Mo Mentum, and Tapa Tapa Tapa.

Key Contenders

Bear Paw, by Bear’s Kid
Last 3 Beyers: 72-68-69

◗ She will be facing open company for the first time. All four of her stakes starts last season were in restricted events.

She’s the Berries, by Badge of Silver
Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-79

◗ She’s on a three-race win streak and won her season debut in an allowance event at this distance May 5. Her streak includes the La Prevoyante Stakes last November, her first stakes win.

Dixie Moon, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 83-76-85

◗ She held the lead late but faded to fourth in her seasonal debut in an allowance race May 5, the same race won by She’s the Berries.

◗ Aside from her start in the Queen’s Plate, she had success on the Tapeta during her 3-year-old campaign last season, winning the Woodbine Oaks and finishing second in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes.

Miss Mo Mentum, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 78-74-76

◗ She won the Selene with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure last season in her first start on synthetic.

◗ She had a pair of close finishes in allowance events on turf at Gulfstream Park this spring and has breezed regularly in the lead-up to this start.

Tapa Tapa Tapa, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 90-86-84

◗ She’s made her last 10 starts on dirt but does have synthetic experience, having won her maiden at Woodbine in 2016.

◗ She could be a pace presence in this event. She set the pace in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16 and finished fourth behind Midnight Bisou.