Internal Bourbon switches to Tapeta for Belle Mahone Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Internal Bourbon will try to transfer her turf form to the Tapeta in Monday’s $100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes for fillies and mares ages 3 and up over 1 1/16 miles at Woodbine.
Internal Bourbon notched her first stakes win in the seven-furlong Zadracarta Stakes on July 1 and followed up with a runner-up finish behind Lexie Lou in the Victoriana Stakes over 1 1/16 miles July 30. Trainer Roger Attfield said he felt Internal Bourbon would bring her strong turf form to the main track in the Belle Mahone.
“I think she handles the turf better, but she handles the Tapeta well enough,” he said. “She works very nicely on it.”
Attfield said the timing of the race made it sensible to give Internal Bourbon a shot on the Tapeta.
“She hasn’t run for a little while,” he said. “She’s doing so well right now that I thought I’d have a look at this race, and if it made sense, we’d go. She’s in very good shape right now.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Internal Bourbon, by Not Bourbon
Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-84
◗ She hasn’t raced on synthetic since finishing second in an allowance over 6 1/2 furlongs last November, earning a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. She figures to be forwardly placed, with Whimsicality being a potential pace threat.
Hot Kiss, by Philanthropist
Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-80
◗ Her five-race win streak came to an end last out when she was fourth behind Midnight Miley in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes on July 17. Midnight Miley has since come back to win the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes.
◗ The 1 1/16-mile distance appears to be her best, as she’s 4 for 7 in such races.
Uchenna, by Fastnet Rock
Last 3 Beyers: 87-88-87
◗ While her last seven starts have been on grass, she does have strong form on synthetic, albeit on Woodbine’s Polytrack last season. She won the Ontario Matron over Strut the Course last July.
◗ She’s faced graded stakes company on grass in her last three starts, most recently finishing third in the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes over yielding turf at Monmouth Park on July 31.
Whimsicality, by Arch
Last 3 Beyers: 83-84-84
◗ She was third in an allowance over 1 1/8 miles on the Tapeta last time out Aug. 13. The runner-up, Sweater Weather, came back to win the Algoma Stakes last Wednesday.
◗ Her lone stakes try came back in January 2015, when she was fifth in the Suncoast Stakes over one mile and 40 yards on dirt at Tampa Bay Downs.