Miss Dracarys notches upset in Dance Smartly
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Miss Dracarys upset the hometown hero Moira in Sunday’s Grade 2, $208,400 Dance Smartly on the King’s Plate undercard at Woodbine.
With Javier Castellano aboard, Miss Dracarys set moderate fractions in the 1 1/16-mile turf event for fillies and mares, with another New York shipper, Salimah, racing in close proximity.
Moira, last year’s Queen’s Plate winner, raced outside in fourth down the backstretch and then joined the leaders while three-wide on the turn.
Moira took dead aim at Miss Dracarys in the stretch, but the latter dug in gamely to win by a length, in a quick time of 1:39.60 over the firm ground.
Ready Lady finished another 3 1/4 lengths back in third. She was followed by Justify My Love, Ephrata, Salimah and Whimsical Dance.
Trained by Neil Drysdale, Miss Dracarys ($10.70) banked $120,000 for Al Shira’aa Farms. The daughter of the late Malibu Moon was making her first start since capturing the Nov. 20 Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct.
***The once-beaten 3-year-old Patches O’Houlihan wired older opposition in Sunday’s Grade 3, $170,000 Bold Venture, establishing himself as Woodbine’s leading sprinter in the process.
Favored Patches O’Houlihan set honest fractions on an uncontested lead before the pack inched closer to him entering the stretch of the 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta event.
Patches O’Houlihan dug in through the final eighth and got home on top by 1 1/4 lengths under Daisuke Fukumoto, in a time of 1:15.34.
Last American Exit finished second at 45-1 and Old Chestnut checked in third in the nine-horse field.
Winning trainer Robert Tiller balked at comparing Patches O’Houlihan to his former stable star, five-time Canadian champion sprinter Pink Lloyd.
“This is a big thrill for me,” Tiller said. “I don’t want to say he’s a Pink Lloyd, but he’s a super-good horse.”
Patches O’Houlihan ($6.30) banked $108,000 for owner/breeder Frank DiGiulio Jr., who owned 40 percent of Pink Lloyd. The son of hot Ontario sire Reload had won each of his four previous outings, including a pair of Ontario-sired stakes for 3-year-olds.
***Airosa ($7.80) stamped herself as one of the favorites for next month’s Grade 1 Natalma with a convincing score in the $143,250 Catch a Glimpse Stakes.
With Rafael Hernandez riding, Airosa awaited room along the rail in the stretch before kicking in strongly through the final furlong to prevail by a length over the favored Ready to Jam. The final time in the 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies was 1:14.68.
Kevin Attard trains Airosa for the partnership of X-Men Racing, StarLadies Racing, Madaket Stables and SF Racing.
“She was pretty special from day one,” Attard said. “She was breezing really well. I was very disappointed in her first start. I may have run her a little too short for her own good, but then we got her on the turf. She worked well on it and now she’s 2 for 2 over it. Obviously, now we’re going to head to the Natalma.”
***Golden Canary finished second when debuting in Airosa’s maiden-breaking race, so it wasn’t surprising to see her earn her diploma against the boys in Sunday’s other 6 1/2-furlong 2-year-old turf stakes, the $131,000 Soaring Free.
Golden Canary set the pace and then held off her Mark Casse-trained stablemate, Dancing Duchess, to win by a neck in a time of 1:15.47. Favored Rhapsody made it a clean sweep by fillies in the top three positions.
Golden Canary ($17.10) earned $75,000 for owners Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
“We never have a problem running the girls against the boys,” Casse said. “We were confident. I felt pretty good about both of them and they both showed up.”
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