Ginger Brew figures to have 10 opponents

ETOBICOKE, Ontario Ginger Brew, winner of the Calder Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf in her last start on April 26, could have up to 10 rivals in Saturdays $500,000 Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Ginger Brew, who will be favored for the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, breezed a sharp six furlongs in 1:12.60 here last Saturday.

Shes always been a good work horse, and with racing shes gotten a little better, said Brian Lynch, who trains Ginger Brew for Stronach Stable. It was a solid work.

Among those she will face is Money by Honey, whom Lynch also will send out for Team Stronach and who won a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance at odds-on here May 19.

Sugar Bay, who finished a length behind Money by Honey as the runner-up that day, also has the Woodbine Oaks on her agenda. Trainer Mac Benson noted that the allowance was Sugar Bays first time trying two turns.

I certainly think shell move up off that race, said Benson.

Sugar Bay tuned up Monday with a bullet five furlongs in 59.60 under regular rider Corey Fraser.

She worked with an unstarted filly who broke off a little bit in front of her, said Benson. She lay in behind her, then came to her. She did what I wanted her to do.

In other Woodbine Oaks developments:

* Initforreal, coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Selene at 1 1/16 miles here May 18, drilled six furlongs in 1:13 under regular rider Constant Montpellier here Sunday.

I staged it so that she could take a good run at her workmate, said Arthur Silvera, who trains Initforreal. She easily overhauled her, and finished very strongly.

* Northern Kraze, fourth in the Selene but still a maiden after five starts, worked six furlongs in 1:13.60 here Saturday under jockey Chantal Sutherland.

Theyd dug up the track a bit, but she seemed to handle it, said Mark Frostad, who trains Northern Kraze.

Northern Kraze worked in company with stablemates Moon Path and Dixieland Drummer, both of whom were clocked in 1:14.

* Authenicat, who emerged from her sixth-place finish in the May 24 Lady Angela with her lungs full of mucus, remains on the bubble for the Oaks after working six furlongs in 1:13.20 under jockey Patrick Husbands on Saturday.

Shes worked very well, said trainer Josie Carroll. Well see how she bounces out of it in the next couple of days and then make a decision.