Caren set to go long on grass in Wonder Where Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bison City Stakes winner Caren will try to carry her speed over 1 1/4 miles on grass when she faces 12 other Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

After losing the lead late in the Woodbine Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on June 12, Caren took the Bison City field gate to wire in her most recent start July 10. She was able to get away with much slower fractions than in the Woodbine Oaks, opening up a 3 1/2-length lead at the top of the stretch. Trini Brewnette rallied quickly in the late going to be second, a length short of Caren.

Trainer Mike De Paulo said getting Caren to relax early has been a point of emphasis in the lead-up to the Wonder Where. In her most recent workout July 31, Caren covered five furlongs in 1:02.20 on the Tapeta, a clocking much slower than usual for the speedy filly.

“She’s been doing good,” De Paulo said. “To go a mile and a quarter, we don’t need a lot of speed. She’s got plenty of that, that’s for sure.”

Wonder Where, Race 8

Key Contenders

Caren, by Society’s Chairman
Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-76

◗ Caren has started once on grass, finishing third behind Catch a Glimpse and Gamble’s Ghost in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes over “good” turf at Woodbine last September.

Gamble’s Ghost, by Ghostzapper
Last 3 Beyers: 78-82-78

◗ She was the co-second choice in the Queen’s Plate against males in her last start July 3 but was compromised by the slow pace.

◗ She’s run twice on grass, recording an 81 Beyer Speed Figure as the runner-up in the Natalma Stakes. She also faced traffic trouble in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs in March, finishing sixth, beaten just two lengths.

Neshama, by Sligo Bay
Last 3 Beyers: 83-83-80

◗ The Woodbine Oaks winner will make her turf debut in the Wonder Where and breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 on the turf training track here last Sunday. She should handle the grass well, as sire Sligo Bay was a Grade 1 winner on turf, while her dam won three races on grass.

Meadow Rose, by Sligo Bay
Last 3 Beyers: 83-70-54

◗ She ran fourth in her stakes debut in the Bison City, earning an 83 Beyer.

◗ She also will make her turf debut in the Wonder Where. Her full brother Golden Rifle was a stakes winner and earned more than $275,000 on turf.

Duchess Stakes, Race 4

Moonlit Promise has shown plenty of promise in each of her three starts and will look to win her third consecutive race in the $125,000 Duchess Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over seven furlongs on Tapeta.

Moonlit Promise is one of two horses in the field sent out by trainer Josie Carroll. Carroll’s other entrant, Treasuring, won the Star Shoot Stakes over six furlongs on the Tapeta on April 16 before flattening out in her most recent start in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes around two turns May 15.