Ironstone sharp for Clarendon Stakes off romp, fast drill
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Simcoe Stakes winner Ironstone was the talk of the Woodbine backstretch last Saturday after breezing five-eighths in a sizzling 57.60 seconds. He stands out in Friday’s $150,000 Clarendon, one of two 5 1/2-furlong stakes on the card for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds.
After ending up second in his June 20 debut, Ironstone flattened out to finish fifth in a longer 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight sprint on July 18.
With the addition of Lasix on Aug. 29, Ironstone rebounded with a front-running 8 1/2-length score under Ademar Santos in the 6 1/2-furlong Simcoe, for graduates of Canadian yearling sales. The $7,000 yearling purchase earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
“From day one when I got him, I knew that he was a good horse,” trainer Willy Armata said. “He was beating company without urging. He was doing it on his own. The first race, when Santos gave him a couple shots with the whip, he was a little green because he wasn’t used to that. The second race, it was hot and he had heat stroke and bled a little bit. Once he started working again, I gave him a little Lasix, and he impressed more and more.”
Armata was impressed with Ironstone’s Saturday drill over a fast Tapeta surface, during which he went the opening three-eighths in 33 seconds and galloped out the three-quarters in 1:11.
“It was phenomenal,” Armata said. “I didn’t expect him to go that fast, but Santos said he did it easy on his own. He came out of it happy. He’s going in the right direction.”
Five others were entered in the Clarendon, including Silent Resent, who was cross-entered in the $150,000 Shady Well for fillies. Silent Resent notched her Aug. 7 debut on the Tapeta before trailing a six-horse field in the Victorian Queen Stakes on Sept. 17 going a mile on the inner turf.
Leading trainer Mark Casse entered probable favorite Aubrieta, Shanghai Shamrock, and supplement Ya Mar in the Shady Well.
Aubrieta came from fourth to land her Sept. 11 opener in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special with a 71 Beyer.
Shanghai Shamrock didn’t show much in her first three starts on turf and dirt in the United States before beating $75,000 maidens on the dirt Aug. 22 at Saratoga.
Ya Mar wired Ontario-sired maidens by six lengths with a 66 Beyer when going on Lasix on Sept. 25.
Three others were entered in the Shady Well, including Silver Magnatized, who graduated second time out in a six-furlong maiden special on July 31 for trainer Kevin Attard. She faded to fourth after leading the way most recently Aug. 21 in another turf sprint, the 6 1/2-furlong Catch a Glimpse Stakes.