Grizzel targets Ontario Colleen Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grade 3 Selene Stakes winner Grizzel was a 39-1 longshot when she traveled to Belmont Park for the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 8, but her fifth-place finish after holding the lead in the stretch pleased trainer Mike Doyle.

“She ran great,” he said. “It’s unfortunate she didn’t place. I really thought she could run well, and she did. The way it set up, they ran so much faster earlier in the race than they did in the Belmont Derby. She may be suspect in going that far. A mile and an eighth might be as far as she wants to go.”

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After the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Oaks, Doyle is looking to cut Grizzel back in distance and has targeted the Grade 3, $125,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on the Woodbine turf Aug. 27.

“She’s back at Woodbine, and we’re aiming her at the Ontario Colleen,” Doyle said. “If everything goes good, then the La Lorgnette, and then we get on the road again.”

The La Lorgnette, on Sept. 30 over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta, would be the final opportunity for the Irish-bred daughter of Kodiac to race against 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine since she’s not eligible for Ontario-bred or Ontario-sired restricted stakes.