Hard-trying Ironstone vs. comebacking The Minkster in Ontario Derby

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ironstone and The Minkster, both exiting the Canadian Triple Crown, are among a five-horse field in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Derby at Woodbine.

The 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds heads a 10-race program that also includes the $125,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Ironstone won two sprint stakes at 2. The speedy gray placed in 4 of 5 starts this year without a win and was a respectable fourth in Moira’s runaway Queen’s Plate triumph.

Ironstone has been working up a storm since a chalky second to Duke of Love in the Sept. 13 Prince of Wales Stakes on a muddy main track at Fort Erie, in which trainer Willie Armata said the colt lost a shoe.

“He’s gone out there and given us the best he can every single time we brought him over,” Armata said. “He’s coming into the race in really good order. He’s had a couple of nice works. Unfortunately, we have to run with ‘Papa Vit,’ but what are you going to do? I usually don’t like to run against dad if we don’t have to, but on this occasion, we will.”

Armata’s father, Vito, sends out Luckman, who was a bargain $25,000 claim on June 24. Luckman has won two of his last three outings, including the Toronto Cup on the grass.

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“Both horses, they have different styles,” Armata pointed out. “That helps. Dad’s horse likes to close, and our horse likes to be forwardly placed, so they will each run their own race.”

The Minkster was unbeaten in two starts at 2, including the 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity. He won his season opener in the Queenston Stakes before ending up sixth in the Plate Trial Stakes. He was a well-beaten ninth after setting a fast pace most recently in the 1 1/4-mile Plate.

The Minkster breezed three-quarters in a sharp 1:12.20 last Sunday for trainer Danny Vella, who’s removing Lasix and blinkers from the colt.

“He’s always been a good work horse, but he’s been coming out of his works much better,” Vella said. “After the Queen’s Plate, we did a throat surgery on him. He had a breathing issue that was kind of hidden. When we scoped him, you didn’t see it. It was a minor thing that was straightened out. He had another minor setback before the Breeders’ Stakes, so that’s why we ended up here. I think we’ve got him right now.”

◗ Souper Hoity Toity and Sister Seagull have taken different paths to the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Damsel, another five-horse event.

Souper Hoity Toity prevailed in back-to-back Grade 3 stakes this summer, the Selene on Tapeta and the Ontario Colleen on turf. She’s coming off a troubled second in the seven-furlong Duchess Stakes.

After finishing second to Moira in the Woodbine Oaks on July 24, Sister Seagull swept the last two legs of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the Bison City Stakes on Tapeta and the Wonder Where Stakes on turf.

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