Bison City: Oaks winner Kin's Concerto takes aim at second leg of series

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The protagonists in the $503,000 Woodbine Oaks, led by Oaks winner Kin’s Concerto, are expected to take center stage in Saturday’s second leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the $250,000 Bison City Stakes.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Kin’s Concerto gave Chiefswood Stables its second Woodbine Oaks victory on July 20, when she crossed the wire on top for the first time by running down Caitlinhergrtness in the final strides under Sofia Vives. She had graduated by disqualification at 2 and posted two good second-place finishes this year, so her Oaks win was no surprise.

“Every race she’s in, she continues to improve and always gives it her best effort,” Vives said. “What has impressed me the most was the way she was able to come off the bridle when sitting behind horses, but turning for home she was game to catch all the horses in front of her in the Oaks.”

Oaks runner-up Caitlinhergrtness is bypassing the nine-horse Bison City for next Saturday’s King’s Plate.

Carroll sends out two other contenders, A Little Frisky and Ontario, in the 1 1/16-mile route for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

A Little Frisky raced quite wide throughout the nine-furlong Oaks while looming into contention on the far turn and eventually finishing a deceptively good fourth. Her only win came in the open Glorious Song Stakes traveling seven furlongs at 2 but she’s good enough to beat these if everything goes her way.

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Ontario had worked encouragingly prior to her July 7 debut in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special. After getting away slowly, the pricey daughter of Ghostzapper mounted an eye-catching wide rally to win going away by three lengths with a modest 70 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off a troubled third in the Oaks, Hurricane Clair could rain on Carroll’s parade Saturday. She endured some early trouble in the Oaks before rallying for third, her second straight win for trainer Marty Drexler.

“I thought it was a great effort,” Drexler said. “We went into the race with the idea that we had a chance to win it. Getting jammed up on the first turn might have cost us, but that isn’t taking away anything from the winner and the second-place horse. Her performance told me more and more that she really will get [a distance of ground].”

Hurricane Clair, who graduated in last year’s restricted Muskoka Stakes, will once again have leading rider Sahin Civaci in the irons.

“Sahin loves her,” Drexler said. “We are going into the race optimistically and if the trip works out, we can hopefully be right there.”

Trainer Mark Casse sends out the stakes-winning turf sprinter Dancing Duchess, Oaks fifth-place finisher Lunch With Bernie, and Stormcast, who set a fast pace before weakening to second last time out in a nine-furlong allowance.

The Triple Tiara concludes with the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on the turf here Sept. 8.

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