Ginger Brew tops Oaks dozen

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ginger Brew, making her first start of the meet following a solid Florida campaign, has been made the 8-5 morning-line choice for Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.

A field of 12 was entered for the Woodbine Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, at a special draw conducted at the Woodbine Entertainment Group's WEGZ Stadium Bar some 12 miles northeast of the racetrack.

Ginger Brew, owned by Stronach Stable and trained by Brian Lynch, drew post 2.

Javier Castellano, who has piloted Ginger Brew in her four starts this year, including a last-out win in the Calder Oaks over 1 1/8 miles of turf, will fly in for the mount.

Shilla, the 6-1 second choice on Woodbine oddsmaker Jennifer Morrison's morning line, is a three-time stakes winner, including the five-furlong La Voyageuse and seven-furlong Fury in her only races this season.

Nick Gonzalez trains Shilla, who will begin from post 3 under regular rider David Clark in her first attempt around two turns.

Lynch also will send out Money by Honey, who in three races this year won her maiden at Gulfstream and a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles here for Stronach Stable.

Money by Honey, who will start from post 8 and has a new rider in Eurico Rosa da Silva, is the 8-1 third choice.

Next in line at 10-1 are Sugar Bay and Gloriously.

Sugar Bay, second to Money by Honey in her first attempt at a distance, will break from post 5 under regular rider Corey Fraser.

Mac Benson, who trains Sugar Bay, won the Woodbine Oaks with La Lorgnette in 1985 and Deputy Jane West in 1993.

Gloriously, runner-up in the Fury, will be stretching out for the first time and will begin from post 6 under Patrick Husbands.

Mark Casse, who trains Gloriously, won the Woodbine Oaks with Kimchi in 2006 and with Sealy Hill last year.

Initforreal, coming off a third-place finish here in the Grade 3 Selene over 1 1/16 miles, has been pegged at 15-1 and will start from post 7.

Constant Montpellier retains the mount on Initforreal, who is trained by Arthur Silvera.

Mrs. Began, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth here last fall, was supplemented to the Woodbine Oaks on Thursday at a cost of $12,500 and will have Tyler Pizarro in the irons for the first time. Trained by Reade Baker, who won the 2005 Woodbine Oaks with Gold Strike, Mrs. Began is listed at 15-1 and will start from post 10.