Maiden fits well in South Ocean

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wednesday's $125,000 South Ocean is far from the toughest Ontario sire stakes ever run at Woodbine. Moon Path, a maiden, looks better than most of the winners in an eight-horse field of 2-year-old fillies, and she has every reason to benefit from the move to 1 1/16 miles.

Moon Path, a $150,000 yearling purchase by Sam-Son Farm, finished a close sixth when she debuted on the grass in August. After a six-week absence, she rallied five wide to finish second behind the well-regarded Boldly Seductive in a seven-furlong maiden special on the Polytrack on Oct. 5.

"She ran a pretty good race last time," said trainer Mark Frostad. "[Boldly Seductive] got away from everybody, but once she kicked in, she ran a big race. She was pretty green early on, and came from way out if it."

Moon Path, a daughter of Perigee Moon, is out of a Bold Ruckus mare who has thrown three route winners from six starters on the dirt.

"Stretching out looks to be the move with her," Frostad said. "She's a big, strong filly. It looks like she belongs. We'll see what happens."

Grandy's Glory will likely be favored in the South Ocean off her impressive upset victory in the Oct. 28 Fanfreluche Stakes. She prevailed by 4 1/4 lengths in the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-breds, earning a respectable 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She won easy, but I don't like running her back fast," said trainer Mike DePaulo.

DePaulo said he believes that Grandy's Glory will handle a route of ground.

"I think she'll love a mile and a sixteenth," DePaulo said. "She's not a stocky, short-coupled daughter of Bold Executive. She's long and lean. Her mother, who wasn't much horse, was much better as she went longer."

Dashingalltheway captured her debut over six furlongs on the Polytrack on Sept. 16. She was subsequently sold by trainer Mark Casse to K.K. Sangara and trainer Lorne Richards, who sent her out to finish a closing third in the six-furlong Victorian Queen Stakes on Oct. 4.

Most recently in the Fanfreluche, Dashingalltheway was a non-threatening third, beaten slightly more than six lengths by Grandy's Glory.

"She was a little flat last time, but I haven't really pushed her along too much," Richards said. "She's a decent filly, but I think she's going to be a lot better next year."

Dashingalltheway is a full-sister to Spider Canyon, who was second in the 1 1/16-mile Kingarvie Stakes as a 2-year-old.