Ellan Vannin tries turf in Ontario Damsel

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After a sixth-place finish in the Woodbine Oaks on June 11, Ellan Vannin will make her turf debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies over a mile at Woodbine.

Trainer Tony Gattellaro said he has been waiting a long time to get the Ontario Lassie Stakes winner on the grass.

“I breezed her over [turf] last year, and it was the best work I ever saw from her,” he said. “We just went through the classic program this year, trying to get her to the Oaks and seeing what we could do. Since it didn’t work out as planned, we’re just going to go back to our original plan on the turf.”

Ellan Vannin sat off the pace in the Woodbine Oaks and made her move on the far turn before flattening out in the stretch. Gattellaro said he was pleased with the effort after losing time with the filly over the winter.

“She did have a little bit of a medical setback in the wintertime,” he said. “Given the situation that I was in, I was completely thrilled. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her yet.”

Key Contenders

Ellan Vannin, by Spring At Last
Last 3 Beyers: 74-64-68

◗ Gattellaro said Ellan Vannin has been training well. “I’ve seen a much-improved horse since the Oaks,” he said. “The work that she did last week over the turf was exceptional.”

Silver Princess, by Old Forester
Last 3 Beyers: 73-68-0

◗ She won the Lady Angela Stakes over seven furlongs in her most recent start May 27 and will be making her turf debut.

Financial Recovery, by Street Cry
Last 3 Beyers: 62-77-68

◗ She won her maiden on turf with a 68 Beyer Speed Figure as a 2-year-old last season and gets back on grass after three starts on Tapeta while on the Woodbine Oaks trail.

Little Christy, by Silent Name
Last 3 Beyers: 72-72-72

◗ She was gaining on Silver Princess throughout the stretch run of the Lady Angela Stakes and should appreciate the switch to turf.

Southern Ring in Zadracarta

Also on the card is the $100,000 Zadracarta Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint on turf for older Ontario-bred fillies and mares. Southern Ring won the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes on Tapeta in her most recent start April 23 and gets back on turf in the Zadracarta, a race she ran fourth in last year.

Other key contenders include the graded-stakes winner Skylander Girl, American invader Shake Down Baby, and Jennifer Lynnette, who finished third in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes here on June 4.