Jilli Marie's journey to Woodbine Oaks not going to plan
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Katerina Vassilieva said she’s on the fence regarding whether or not to run the unbeaten Jilli Marie in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks going 1 1/8 miles for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Jilli Marie won all three of her starts from off the pace in sprints under Steven Bahen, who has won the Oaks twice. After annexing her debut Oct. 3, she doubled up in the South Ocean Stakes for Ontario-sired fillies Nov. 14, and then got the winter off.
Jilli Marie went back into training in January at the Webb Carroll Training Center in South Carolina, before returning to Woodbine on April 1 for an array of Tapeta works. She faced older Ontario-sired opposition in a non-winners-of-three allowance last Friday, during which she rallied inside from fifth to win by a nose in yet another determined effort.
Vassilieva said the delayed start to the meet due to a provincial lockdown has hindered her plan to make it to the Oaks, which is about a month after Jilli Marie’s season opener on Aug. 1.
“We had this whole plan laid out that made a lot of sense,” Vassilieva explained. “We were going to hit the sort of allowance race that she just won, then the Fury Stakes, and then the Oaks. It’s up in the air now. We’ll look at all our options. Maybe it’s not a terrible position to be in, because she’s not over-raced. She’s fresh. She’s had a race under her belt, and a ton of works this spring. She shouldn’t be short on fitness.”
Vassilieva said owner Kevin Drew bought Jilli Marie at a local yearling sale for $15,000 from his friend Brian Wright, who bred the daughter of stakes-winning router Dynamic Sky. She has a sprint-oriented pedigree on the dam’s side.
“It’s a far stretch to go from 6 1/2 furlongs to a mile and an eighth,” Vassilieva said. “I think she wants a little bit of distance, but I don’t know if she wants that much distance. In all of her races, she finished strong and galloped out. The way she can relax in a race is a sign she might want more distance, and Bahen thinks that as well.”
*** There are two maiden special weight events on Thursday’s eight-race card.
The fifth, going six furlongs for 3-year-olds, seems like an ideal spot for Spite Store, who was second in two of his three outings, including his June 20 season debut. The other protagonists are Magic Spin and Lenny K.
The seventh, a six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, includes Away to Return, who was second in her June 10 opener going five furlongs at Arlington. Her trainer, Mike Stidham, won last Saturday’s feature here with Advocating.