Pace should suit Yes It's Bull

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's $150,000 Victoria Park Stakes, one of two supporting stakes on the Woodbine Oaks card, is chock-full of speed. If a hot pace materializes, the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds should set up for a stretch-runner like Yes It's Bull. He won 1 1/16-mile allowance nicely on May 3, mounting a strong rally from off tepid fractions to prevail with an 82 Beyer Figure, much to the delight of trainer Lorna Perkins.

"I was really happy with that effort," said Perkins. "He made a heck of a move, and overcame the slow pace. The nice thing about him is he can go whenever you ask him to go."

Yes It's Bull had a productive 2-year-old campaign here, but his three-race winter campaign on the dirt at Oaklawn wasn't anything to write home about. He began that stint with a 10th-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes, and subsequently ran fifth in an optional claimer and fourth in an allowance.

Perkins believes Yes It's Bull prefers Polytrack over dirt, but she said the colt had some excuses at Oaklawn.

"The first time, he was surprised by the dirt hitting him in the face," Perkins said. "He hadn't experienced that before. In his next race, I wasn't happy with the ride that he got. The rider pushed him the whole way, and the horse only has one big run at the end. His last race was his best race."

Matt's Broken Vow and Bonanza finished first and second, respectively, in the May 17 Marine Stakes.

The Grade 3 Marine was Matt's Broken Vow's first start around two turns, and he passed the test with flying colors.

"Coming off sprints, we thought he would want to be on the lead," said trainer Josie Carroll. "We didn't want that on this Polytrack, so we set him in behind a couple of horses in his last two works, and we were surprised to see how well he relaxed."

Bonanza was given just a 71 Beyer when he was beaten a half-length as the Marine favorite. He earned a 90 Beyer while notching his first stakes the time before in the Wando.

Completing the field are front-runners Discreet Commander, Catch Air, and Secret Getaway.