Merveilleux makes Wonder Where first stakes victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - With blinkers off, Merveilleux finally got some racing luck in Sunday’s $250,800 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine, winning the final leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara under a textbook ride from Rafael Hernandez.

Merveilleux ($13.80) saved ground in a stalking position until the top of the stretch in the 1 1/4-mile turf event, as Justleaveitalone set moderate fractions with She’s a Dream racing in second.

Hernandez angled Merveilleux wide for the drive, and she made the lead early in the stretch en route to a three-length win, in a time of 2:05.34 over the firm ground.

Gun Society rallied wide for second, and the favored Curlin’s Voyage made her way through traffic to finish third in the 10-horse field.

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Hernandez was also aboard when Merveilleux finished a troubled third in the Aug. 15 Woodbine Oaks. She had an awkward break when sixth against the boys in the Sept. 12 Queen’s Plate.

“We’ve been having a rough way with this one,” Hernandez said. “Last (weekend) when we worked her on the grass, it was a nice and easy work. Today, she showed up. I was impressed with her performance. We had a clean trip. She was really relaxed in the first turn and on the backside. Turning for home, I said: ‘Come on baby, give it up, we have to do it.’ ”

It was the first stakes success for the Kevin Attard-trained Merveilleux, who was among the leading 2-year-old fillies on the grounds last year.

“We’ve always liked her a lot,” Attard said. “We thought, heading into the Oaks, we had the right kind of horse. Even heading into the Plate, we were really excited. Everything lined up her way today. She had a good trip, and ran to her expectations.”

A daughter of Paynter, Merveilleux earned $150,000 for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.