Circle of Friends wins stakes debut in Ontario Jockey Club

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The favored Circle of Friends notched his stakes debut over a quality seven-horse field in Friday’s $115,000 Ontario Jockey Club at Woodbine.

Circle of Friends raced in fifth about three lengths off the lead on the backstretch under Eurico Da Silva, as Marten River set moderate fractions in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

Circle of Friends mounted a four-wide rally on the turn, and then caught Marten River at the sixteenth pole before drawing clear to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over Uncle B. A tiring Marten River held on for third, and was followed by Lokinforpursemonee, Mill Road, Undulated, and Katalox.

Circle of Friends, a gelded son of Midnight Lute, paid $5 in his fourth consecutive victory. Trained by Robert Tiller, he earned $72,000 for 3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd.