Jockey Aebly guides pair of longshots to sweep of stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jockey Fraser Aebly enjoyed a career day on Saturday at Woodbine when sweeping both stakes on the card aboard longshots A Game and Ecstasy.

A Game saved ground near the rear of the field in the six-furlong Ontario Fashion and then split rivals in midstretch before catching Love to Shop on the wire to prevail by a head, in a time of 1:09.49. Beauty of the Sea beat out favored Ticker Tape Home for third in the 10-horse field of fillies and mares.

“We broke well and got a nice trip in the third flight,” Aebly said. “Coming around the turn, I found myself creeping up. I was waiting for a hole and we got lucky and found one up the inside. I was sitting on a lot of horse and she tried so hard for me. She was fighting the whole way and so was I. I wanted to win it.”

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A Game earned $97,200 of the $154,090 purse for owner Mark Dodson and trainer Josie Carroll. The daughter of outstanding broodmare sire Distorted Humor paid $99.20 in the Grade 3 event.

Aebly, who lost his apprentice allowance in September, notched his first Woodbine stakes on Ecstasy in the $125,500 Ontario Damsel.

Ecstasy was supplemented by Tucci Stable and trainer Sid Attard to the 1 1/16-mile route for 3-year-old fillies. After pressing the pace, she took control on the far turn en route to a 1 3/4-length win over favored Witwatersrand, in a time of 1:43.27 for the 1 1/16 miles. Pendulum wound up third in the 12-horse field.

“She’s a real honest horse,” Aebly said. “She’s got quite the character. She gives you everything she’s got when we’re running. Sid didn’t give me any instructions before the race. He just said ride it. She broke well, crossed over, got onto the bit on the turn, but I got her to settle. When we opened up down the lane, she was all racehorse.”

A daughter of Paynter, Ecstasy banked $75,000 and returned $57.50.

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