The Black Album prevails in Charlie Barley Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Black Album ($8.60) edged out a determined Inventing Blame to take the $100,000 Charlie Barley Stakes on the Queen’s Plate undercard at Woodbine Saturday.

With blinkers added, The Black Album stalked the leaders in fourth along the inside, as Inventing Blame led through splits of 23.98 and 46.90 seconds in the one-mile turf route.

Flavien Prat angled The Black Album into the two path for the drive, and he dueled with Inventing Blame throughout the stretch before scoring by a head in a time of 1:34.01.

The favored Global Access rallied steadily from fifth to finish another half-length back in third. Mo Speed faded from second to fourth in the seven-horse field of 3-year-olds.

“From [post 3], we were able to get a good trip,” said Prat. “I think the blinkers helped him quite a bit today.”

The Black Album won a Group 3 fixture in France last year, after which he was bought by Team Valor International and Gary Barber. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the son of Wootton Bassett earned $60,000 for his victory on Saturday.

Desert Isle takes Zadracarta

Lukewarm favorite Desert Isle ($8.30) held off the 21-1 outsider Miss Sea to land her first stakes in the other overnight turf event on the card, the $100,000 Zadracarta.

Desert Isle came four wide from midpack under Junior Alvarado in the eight-horse field of Ontario-sired females. She got home on top by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:21.28 for the seven furlongs.

Based in Maryland with trainer Graham Motion, the Bernardini 4-year-old Desert Isle earned $60,000 for Sam-Son Farm.

“She’s a filly we’ve always thought really highly of,” Motion said. “It took us a little while to figure her out. She’s a filly you can’t take too much a hold of. Junior did a beautiful job, and I think the seven-eighths really suited her.”