Gold Strike pulls upset in Selene Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Gold Strike ($12) upset previously unbeaten Lemon Maid in Sunday's $280,400 at Woodbine.

Gold Strike tracked Lemon Maid, the 3-5 favorite, throughout the mile and a sixteenth race for 3-year-old fillies. Lemon Maid set rapid fractions of :22.87 and :46.89 seconds, before Gold Strike drew evenly with her on the far turn, after three-quarters in 1:12.28.

Gold Strike began to draw off at the eighth pole, and coasted home on top by five and three-quarter lengths, in a final time of 1:45.80. Charming Ruckus rallied from far back to finish three and a half lengths behind Lemon Maid in third in the six-horse field.

"She's a lovely filly," said Jim McAleney, who rode Gold Strike for trainer Reade Baker. "It was by no means my intention to be up close to the pace, but the filly was so good and so right today that she took me there."

In winning the Grade 3 event, Gold Strike established herself as a serious contender for the $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks on June 12. A homebred owned by Harlequin Ranches, she earned $162,900.