La Feve makes another money run in La Lorgnette Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – La Feve shipped up from her Maryland base at Fair Hill Training Center to win the seven-furlong Duchess Stakes in her most recent start on Aug. 3 and will be looking to double up on the stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles in Sunday’s $100,000 La Lorgnette Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Tapeta at Woodbine.

Making just her second start for trainer Graham Motion in the Duchess, La Feve stalked the pace, made her move at the eighth pole, and held off Intanga Rose and Wings of Dawn to record her first stakes win in her first start on synthetic.

“I thought it was an impressive enough performance, and it certainly warrants going back up there on a track that’s not always the easiest to handle,” Motion said. “Not everybody handles it.”

La Feve raced in France last season as a 2-year-old and came to Chad Brown in the United States last winter. She recorded a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a fourth in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, and a third in the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct before being transferred to Motion. In her first start for him, she ran fourth in the Open Mind on the turf at Monmouth.

Motion said he has been happy with La Feve since she joined his stable.

“She’s pretty straightforward, really,” Motion said. “She’s been fairly uncomplicated and she’s been great to us. It’s up to us to keep her happy. She seems good coming into this race. I feel good about bringing her back up there, for sure.”

La Feve will face a pair of rivals from the Duchess in the La Lorgnette, including third-place finisher Wings of Dawn. Wings of Dawn broke slowly in the Duchess before rallying in the late going and should enjoy the stretch-out in distance. She’s has won a pair of route races on the Tapeta at Woodbine this meet.

Bold Script also figures to take wagering support while looking for her first win of the year. She’s finished second in her last two starts, the Woodbine Oaks on June 8 and the Bison City Stakes on June 30.

Other key contenders include the Mark Casse-trained pair of Grade 3 Selene Stakes winner Power Gal and Duchess fifth-place finisher Winandyourin Gin. Casse has three of the seven fillies in the field, as he’ll also send out Wings of Dawn.

Ontario Jockey Club

Casse will send out Olympic Runner and Muskoka Wonder in Sunday’s $100,000 Ontario Jockey Club Stakes for 3-year-olds over six furlongs on Tapeta.

Olympic Runner broke slowly but rallied well to win the King Corrie Stakes here going away in his most recent start July 28. Meanwhile, Muskoka Wonder hasn’t raced since finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes here last September.

Big Drink of Water, who won the Victoria Stakes here last season, will be looking to avenge his defeat in the King Corrie, which was his first start of the year. He led to midstretch and ended up third, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Souper Success and Powell, who ran one-two in the Woodstock Stakes here in April, also merit consideration in the Ontario Jockey Club.