Gumboots injured, career in jeopardy

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks lost a significant player here Monday when Gumboots, trained by Josie Carroll, was injured while working five furlongs on the main track under jockey David Clark.

"David said she wasn't right pulling up," said Carroll, who had been training Gumboots up to the Oaks after the filly won the seven-furlong Fury here May 7. "She took a couple of bad steps coming off the track. Going around the shed row, she was getting more and more lame.

"We took X-rays, and found out she'd fractured a sesamoid. It's not life-threatening, but it's highly unlikely she'll ever race again."

Gumboots had been one of seven candidates for the Woodbine Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, to work over the fast main track on Monday.

Seductively, the probable Oaks favorite off her front-running win in the 1 1/16-mile Selene here May 24, breezed four furlongs in a brisk 46.40 seconds under jockey Gerry Olguin, getting her opening quarter-mile in 22.40 and galloping out five furlongs in 59.

"I wasn't looking for her to go that fast, but she's quick," said Ian Black, who trains Seductively for Kinghaven Farm. "Gerry said she was relaxed, had her ears up."

Like a Gem, who also should be well-backed on Sunday, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 under regular rider Robert Landy, getting her opening half-mile in 47.20 and galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.

Runner-up in the Fury, Like a Gem was entered in the Selene but had to be scratched when that race was postponed for three days and she came down with a virus during the hiatus.

"She missed about eight days of training but she seems fine," said Danny Vella, who trains Like a Gem for Hillsbrook Farm. "All the signs are go right now."

Strike Softly and Feathered Diamond, both owned by Sam-Son Farm and trained by Mark Frostad, also worked six furlongs.

Strike Softly, under Todd Kabel, was clocked in 1:14.40, while Feathered Diamond finished in 1:14.80 under new rider Emma-Jayne Wilson.

"They were just breezing around there," said Frostad.

Wedded Woman, going five furlongs in company with older male stablemate Andalusian, was clocked in 1:02.40 under Jono Jones, who has the call in the Oaks.

"I was very, very happy with her," said Brian Lynch, who trains Wedded Woman for Stronach Stable. "She's good to go."

Our Madison worked a mile in 1:44 under Corey Fraser, who will ride her in the Oaks.

"She was sick, and missed four days," said trainer Red Johnson. "I didn't like the way she breezed."

Johnson said he might cross-enter Our Madison in both the Oaks and the $100,000 Alywow, an overnight 6 1/2-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds here Sunday which would require five separate betting interests to be carded.

Three other Oaks probables had their final major tune-ups on the main track here last Saturday.

Sweet Breanna worked six furlongs in 1:13.80, Kimchi five furlongs in 1:00.20, and Questuary five furlongs in 1:01.40.

London Snow, winner of the seven-furlong Lady Angela here May 27, will gallop up to the Oaks.

Woodbine Oaks contenders