El Prado Essence best in Hendrie

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - El Prado Essence closed from off sizzling fractions over a sloppy track to capture Sunday's Grade 3 George C. Hendrie Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong dash at Woodbine.

As expected, favored Madame Roar led through splits of :21.74 and :44.59 while being tracked by Mysterious Affair and Dreams Go Bye. El Prado Essence commenced her rally at the quarter pole under Todd Kabel, and overhauled Madame Roar at the eighth pole en route to a four-length score in a time of 1:16.86.

Feathers rallied for second, while Quiet edged Madame Roar for third in the six-horse field of fillies and mares.

"I was hoping the speed would go and that 'Essence' would sit just off it, and that's how it worked out," said trainer Audre Cappuccitti, who owns El Prado Essence in partnership with Gordon Cappuccitti.

El Prado Essence returned $9.50 and earned $97,470 of the $169,450 purse.