Handpainted best in Ontario Debutante

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Handpainted kept her unbeaten record in tact while notching her second consecutive stakes in the $149,625 Ontario Debutante on Sunday at Woodbine.

Trainer Josie Carroll sent out the first two finishers in the six-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies, when Buffalo Jump rallied to finish 3 3/4 lengths in arrears in second. Curiosity was third in the seven-horse field, while Ella Bella and Kabul were scratched.

To the Chapel led until about the quarter pole while being stalked by Handpainted and Better Half. The opening quarter was timed in :22.23 seconds, and Handpainted got the half in :45.72 before drawing clear to complete the distance in 1:12.34 under Todd Kabel.

Brusque unseated her rider at the break, causing a few anxious moments for Kabel.

"We laid a little closer to the pace than we intended to," said Kabel. "We're hoping to stretch her out, and we want to get her to relax, but when that horse got loose, I didn't want her in front of me, so I kept her in contention. When I asked her to run, she kicked on."

Handpainted ($3.20) earned $83,775 in her third start for owners John and Glenn Sikura.