Embur's Song heads Woodbine Oaks lineup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Embur's Song, an impressive winner of her only two starts, has been made the 9-5 favorite by Woodbine oddsmaker Ernie Peri for Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. Trained by Todd Pletcher and to be ridden by Garrett Gomez, Embur's Song will begin from post 6 in the field of eight Canadian-bred fillies for the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks.

A 13 1/4-length maiden winner in her seven-furlong debut at Keeneland on April 17, Embur's Song shipped here five weeks later to defeat older fillies and mares in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles.

Ernfold, coming off a solid second-place finish here in the open 1 1/16-mile La Lorgnette Stakes on May 23, is the second choice at 5-2. Trained by Roger Attfield, Ernfold drew post 8 and will have her regular rider Jim McAleney in the irons.

"With only eight runners, I would think it's not that significant, but beginning outside the speed, that's fine," Attfield said.

Resentless, winner of the seven-furlong Fury Stakes here May 1 in her only start of the season, is the third choice at 3-1. Trained by Ian Howard, Resentless became a stakes winner in the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Lassie here last Nov. 29. She will start from post 2 under Chantal Sutherland.

Roan Inish is the only other stakes winner in the Woodbine Oaks lineup. She captured the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth here last Oct. 31 in her North American debut while leaving Resentless and Ernfold in her immediate wake. Trained by Carolyn Costigan, Roan Inish finished second in the Fury in her only start this year, and rider Davey Moran will be returning from Ireland for the mount. The fourth choice in the morning line at 6-1, Roan Inish will start from post 3.

Moment of Majesty, third in the La Lorgnette for trainer Sue Leslie, has been pegged at 10-1 and will start from the 7-hole under her regular rider Robert Landry.

Rounding out the field are Tee Game, fifth in the La Lorgnette last time out; Isabeau's Elegance, who won her maiden over 1 1/16 miles here in her latest; and Oil Painting, who finished a nose behind Isabeau's Elegance as the runner-up in that maiden race.

Sunday's 11-race card will have a strong supporting feature in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes.

Hollinger, last year's champion male 2-year-old, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite of the eight entrants in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial, which will have a major bearing on the composition of the field for the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate here July 4.

- additional reporting by Ron Gierkink