Loyalty scores at odds-on in Duchess Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Favored Loyalty put away the other speed and never looked back to land Saturday’s $125,000 Duchess Stakes under Luis Contreras at Woodbine.

The seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies was reduced to a field of five after four scratches, including Pioneer’s Edge, who broke through the gate and ran off.

Loyalty vied for the lead along the inside with Hollywood Walk and Join the Dance before taking control at the quarter pole. She maintained a clear lead through the stretch en route to a 1 1/2-length score over a charging Souper Hoity Toity, who was steadied while in tight along the rail inside the quarter pole. Join the Dance finished another two lengths back in third.

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The final time was 1:22.90.

“There was some speed in the race,” Contreras said. “Breaking from the one-hole, I just gave her a nice clean break and see how things go. She was traveling so nice and comfortable, so I just let her be. She had a beautiful trip.”

Loyalty ($3.80) extended her unbeaten record on Tapeta surfaces to four races, with her only loss coming when she was a wide sixth in the Ruling Angel Stakes on turf. The daughter of Hard Spun banked $75,000 in her second consecutive stakes win for LNJ Foxwoods, Gainesway Stable, and trainer Josie Carroll.

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