Mrs. Barbara notches first stakes win with Mazarine
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson got quite a thrill on Sunday at Woodbine when his homebred Mrs. Barbara outran Moira to notch her first stakes in the Grade 3 Mazarine for 2-year-old fillies.
Trained by Mark Casse, Mrs. Barbara saved ground in third on the backstretch in the 1 1/16-mile event, as Chocolateaddiction set an honest pace while being tracked by Kanta.
Rafael Hernandez angled Mrs. Barbara into the four path entering the stretch, and they hit the front at the eighth pole before prevailing in a time of 1:44.64.
Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Moira, the even-money favorite in the nine-horse field, rallied inside from near the rear of the nine-horse field to finish a half-length back in a solid performance. Guileful wound up a clear third at 66-1.
“It’s a very special moment,” Lawson said. “We did name the horse after my mom. That’s always tricky, but this is a superb filly. It’s pretty exciting. I’m sure my dad is looking down, pretty pleased with what his broodmare did. Mark and his whole team did a great job with this filly this year.”
Mrs. Barbara ($11.20) earned $90,000 of the $156,400 purse. The daughter of Bodemeister is out of 2010 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Destroy.
*** Hernandez and Casse also combined to take Sunday’s other 1 1/16-mile stakes for 2-year-olds, the Grade 3 Grey, with God of Love, who looks like a serious prospect for next year’s Queen’s Plate.
After mounting a wide bid from the back of the back, God of Love came storming down the center of the track in the stretch to score by 1 1/2 lengths over pacepresser Ironstone. On Thin Ice edged out 3-1 favorite Churchtown for third in the 10-horse field. The Minkster and Speak Unity were scratched.
God of Love, an Ontario-bred son of Cupid, graduated in the Oct. 10 Cup and Saucer Stakes before finishing a troubled fifth in the Oct. 30 Coronation Futurity.
“This race was special for me because it was a rematch from the last one because I had a bad trip last time,” Hernandez said. “So many horses stopped in front of me, and I had to take a hold. Today, (assistant trainer David Adams) told me to make sure to keep him clear. That’s what we did, and he came running.”
God of Love ($11.60) earned $108,000 of the $174,800 purse for the partnership of Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.