Ontario Sired Heritage Series kicks off with Georgian Bay, Lake Huron

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Little Teddy will try to mow down the speed in the $100,000 Georgian Bay, one of two five-furlong inner-turf stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds Sunday at Woodbine, along with the $100,000 Lake Huron for the boys.

The races are the first of four $100,000 legs of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series for each sex, which are contested over different distances and surfaces. Trainer Santino DiPaola opted for this series for Little Teddy rather than try the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks on July 20.

“I ran out of time to stretch her out for the Oaks,” DiPaola said. “I didn’t really want to run her against allowance older fillies, especially on the turf. I thought she would have fit in the Oaks, but when there’s an OS [Ontario-sired] series like this, you don’t want to miss it.”

Little Teddy has made all four of her starts in Tapeta sprints. The closer upset Hurricane Clair when landing her May 25 season opener in a 6 1/2-furlong Ontario-sired allowance.

DiPaola said he has no qualms with running Little Teddy short on the grass.

“I don’t mind it,” DiPaola explained. “Her best works last year were on the turf. I tried to [run] her on it, but the races came off both times. She really thrives over it. I don’t think the turf will be an issue or the five-eighths.

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“She’s faster than people give her credit for. She’s very quick-bursted and she worked a [half-mile] in 47 with Kazushi Kimura last week. He was happy with her.”

Trainer Mark Casse sends out the speedy favorite Olivia Rose, who took the seven-furlong Fury Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths with a big 86 Beyer Speed Figure in her second start off the sidelines. The daughter of Silent Name finished second in both of her turf starts at 2, including the Victorian Queen Stakes.

Trainer Kevin Attard will saddle Sinclairity in the six-horse Georgian Bay and Live Lucky in the five-horse Lake Huron.

Sinclairity won her six-furlong debut on the Tapeta on May 23 with apprentice Pietro Moran aboard.

“She broke well and settled nicely,” Attard said. “When she took the lead, she continued to run confidently and drew away when Pietro called on her. We’re stepping up now, but all signs say she can step up her game. She’s worked well coming into it and I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t take to the turf.”

Live Lucky was a professional debut winner traveling five furlongs on the inner turf June 9, scoring from off the pace by 3 1/4 lengths with a 73 Beyer.

“He showed he likes the grass and the distance, so the hope is that he can come back with another big run this time,” Attard said.

Junior Hot Shot is experimenting on the grass in the Lake Huron off a wide fifth behind King’s Plate favorites My Boy Prince and Essex Serpent in the seven-furlong Queenston Stakes.

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