Billy’s Star targets first graded stakes in Ontario Derby

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Victoria Park Stakes winner Billy’s Star will make his graded stakes debut Sunday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Derby, trainer Roger Attfield said.

Billy’s Star captured his first stakes victory Aug. 23, making a five-wide move into the stretch under jockey Eurico Da Silva to win the Victoria Park by 1 1/4 lengths. Attfield said all four of the horse’s Polytrack starts this season, including his maiden win in May, a sixth-place finish in the Plate Trial in June, and a fourth-place finish July 5 in the Queen’s Plate, have been strong.

“Going into [the Victoria Park], he ran a strong race in the [Plate Trial] after getting bothered by the horse that fell,” he said. “He ran a huge race in the Plate. They’re all solid, solid races in my opinion, and I expected him to win the Victoria Park off of those races. We’ve got to carry on and show what he’s really got.”

Attfield said Billy’s Star is getting better every day, and he’s pleased with the way the 3-year-old son of Perfect Soul has come out of the Victoria Park.

“He’s improving as he matures,” he said. “I’m very happy with him.”

Attfield said it’s possible that Billy’s Star could return to turf at some point. Billy’s Star has made two starts on turf, finishing fourth in the Cup and Saucer Stakes as a 2-year-old last season and third when facing older horses Aug. 2 in a first-level allowance. Attfield said he thinks Billy’s Star can handle both surfaces equally well.

“I can’t see the difference between the two surfaces for him, which is nice,” he said. “It wouldn’t matter to me whether it was Polytrack or turf. I think he’s pretty versatile between those two surfaces.”

Ruth Less Blue eyes Bull Page

Ruth Less Blue recorded his first stakes victory Aug. 15 in the Vandal Stakes and will target the $125,000 Bull Page Stakes for his next start, trainer Scott Fairlie said. The Bull Page Stakes, a six-furlong sprint on Polytrack for Ontario-sired 2-year-old colts and geldings, will be run Sept. 27.

Fairlie said Ruth Less Blue has come out of the Vandal Stakes in good order. The horse recorded his first published work since the Vandal when he breezed four furlongs in 48.80 seconds on the main track Aug. 29.

Ruth Less Blue debuted July 5 with a runner-up effort behind Beliveau at odds of 45-1 in the Clarendon Stakes on Queen’s Plate Day and has followed that effort with two straight wins. He defeated Ontario-sired maidens by 3 1/4 lengths Aug. 2 before holding off a closing Conquest Daddyo in the late stages to win the Vandal by a half-length Aug. 15. Conquest Daddyo flattered that effort by winning the Grade 2 Summer Stakes last Saturday.

Fairlie, co-owner and co-breeder of Ruth Less Blue, said he’s always been high on the son of Giant Gizmo.

“He’s a horse that I’ve liked from the get-go, when he was a weanling and a yearling,” he said. “I wouldn’t have entered him in a stakes on Queen’s Plate Day if I didn’t think he was good enough to compete.”

Mike not quite ready for debut

Mike, the sale-topper at the 2014 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, is not quite ready to make his career debut, trainer John LeBlanc Jr. said.

A full brother to Canadian champion Pender Harbour, Mike brought $325,000 at last year’s sale and was purchased by LeBlanc as agent for a partnership that includes breeder Paradox Farm Inc. and Mardon Stable. He was named in honor of the late Dr. Michael Colterjohn, who ran Gardiner Farms and founded Paradox Farm before dying of brain cancer in 2012.

LeBlanc said he had been eyeing the $200,000 Simcoe Stakes on Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, Sept. 2, for Mike’s first start.

“He just needs a little more time,” LeBlanc said. “He took a few steps forward and then a couple steps back. We thought he might make the yearling sales stakes because he has that kind of talent, but he just wasn’t ready.”

Mike has not recorded a published work since Aug. 16. LeBlanc said he does not have a target race in mind for Mike’s first start, and there is a chance he will not run this year.

“There’s no target date, and the owners have told me he doesn’t even have to run this year if he’s not ready,” he said.