Merveilleux makes 3-year-old bid with Ontario Damsel

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Merveilleux continued her late-season bid for Canadian champion 3-year-old filly honors by notching her second consecutive stakes victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Ontario Damsel at Woodbine.

The favored leader of the division, Curlin’s Voyage, made a wide bid from fourth into contention on the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile event, where Merveilleux was angled off the rail into the three-path. Merveilleux kicked clear in the stretch to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths, in a time of 1:44.37.

The pace-pressing Avie’s Samurai edged out Afleet Katherine for second, as Curlin’s Voyage faded to fifth in the six-horse field of Ontario-breds.

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Rafael Hernandez rode Merveilleux for trainer Kevin Attard, who sent her out to take the Wonder Where on the grass Oct. 25, two starts after she finished third behind Curlin’s Voyage in the Woodbine Oaks.

“She was unfortunate early in the year to have some rough trips and some back-racing luck,” Attard said. “She’s really put it together lately. She’s at the top of the division right now. We’re just happy that she progressed like we wanted her to. Hopefully, she turns out to be a nice 4-year-old.”

A daughter of Paynter, Merveilleux ($6.10) earned $90,000 for owners Al and Bill Uwelling.