Caitlinhergrtness drops in class for Ontario Matron
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard has Canadian champions Caitlinhergrtness and Fashionably Fab, along with new shooter Wild Pansy, entered among a field of 12 in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Matron on the Woodbine Mile undercard.
Caitlinhergrtness won her May 31 season opener by five lengths with a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 3 Belle Mahone, traveling the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Matron around two turns on Tapeta. Her subsequent form has been spotty and she’s dropping in class off a fading fifth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor, which is not a true two-turn race despite being run over 1 1/4 miles on the main turf.
“I think she’s better suited to two turns,” Attard said.
Fashionably Fab showed little in her first two appearances of the meet before a closing third behind Literate and Caitlinhergrtness most recently in the Grade 3 Trillium.
“Her last race was good,” Attard said. “She could be rounding back into form.”
Wild Pansy made the majority of her 19 starts in France before being purchased by Repole Stable. She seemingly found her calling on synthetic last fall when winning back-to-back handicaps. The 5-year-old has worked regularly for her first start in 10 months, including a sharp half-mile in 47.40 with a strong gallop-out on the Tapeta last Saturday. Lasix is added to her arsenal on Saturday.
“I think this race might shape up well for her,” Attard said. “I’m excited to see her go. I think she’s going to be a nice addition to Woodbine. Long term, we’re looking at the Maple Leaf Stakes going a mile and a quarter. Synthetic seems to be right up her wheelhouse.”
Literate upset Caitlinhergrtness while landing her first stakes with a ground-saving trip from off the pace in the July 26 Trillium. She wasn’t a factor after some early trouble in the Aug. 16 E.P. Taylor, in which her stablemate and current rival Hurricane Clair trailed after leading the way. Both are trained by Marty Drexler.
Trainer Graham Motion sends out Five Towns and For Flying, who shipped from Maryland to finish second in the Belle Mahone and fourth in the Trillium.
Vigil Stakes
Simcoe staked his claim as Canada’s top sprinter with a decisive score in the Grade 3 Bold Venture on the King’s Plate undercard. The son of Uncle Mo is looking to double up while moving from 6 1/2 furlongs to seven in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Vigil.
Simcoe rode a live rail on the front end under Rafael Hernandez in his 5 3/4-length tally in the Bold Venture, for which he got a career-high 103 Beyer. The 5-year-old hasn’t finished worse than second in eight starts since trainer Katerina Vassilieva began campaigning him as a Tapeta sprinter last November.
“He’s been a super consistent horse,” Vassilieva said. “I just think he gets really confident when he’s on the lead. Rafi made sure he got the lead [in the Bold Venture], and it seems when he gets it, he just doesn’t look back.”
The Vigil attracted seven others, including Hunt Master, who is cross-entered in the Woodbine Mile.
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