Ella It is, one-eyed Kekoa prevail in 3-year-old stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ella It Is ran down Hint in the stretch to win the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay, the first of two stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds on Friday’s Woodbine program.

Ella It Is ($5.90) saved ground in fourth in the 1 1/16-mile test for fillies, not far behind Hint and Miss Pierre, who vied for the lead through slow fractions. Hint assumed command in the stretch before Ella It Is ran her down in the final furlong to score by 1 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:47.01.

Peace Posey wound up third and was followed by Juicy Hanna, Aussie Hyper, the slight favorite Brengungirl, and Miss Pierre.

Woodbine’s leading apprentice, Pietro Moran, rode the Point of Entry daughter Ella It Is for owner Heste Sport and trainer Mark Casse.

“She’s pretty easygoing,” Moran said. “She can do whatever you want. She won on the lead earlier this year with me and off the pace now. She’s just a sweetheart – nice to ride. I was just sitting on a ton of horse. She did the rest.”

:: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now.

Lake Ontario

Austin Adams, another apprentice riding without his weight allowance, won the $100,000 Lake Ontario aboard the one-eyed Kekoa in a thrilling finish over Ciunas.

Mymathes Correct was hounded by Shinigami through fast fractions in the 1 1/16-mile route for colts and geldings. Kekoa raced near the rear of the field early and then made a bid in unison with Sedburys Ghost to hit the front around the quarter pole.

Kekoa ($10.20) opened up a clear lead in midstretch and held on to score by neck over Ciunas, who had a wide trip while closing from a trailing eighth. Sedburys Ghost checked in third and was followed by Stratus, Dark Screen, Dewolf, Shinigami, and Mymathes Correct.

“He was really fighting for me,” Adams said. “I could feel [Ciunas] coming and he felt him coming, too. He really helped me out in the lane.”

Kekoa, a son of Reload, is trained by Catherine Day-Phillips for a large partnership that includes retired trainer Danny Vella.

“He lost his eye over the winter, but he surprisingly has adjusted well to it,” Day-Phillips said. “He doesn’t really mind horses around him. He does turn his head to have a good look around with his one eye in the mornings, but it hasn’t affected his races.”

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.