Paladin Bay eyes Hendrie Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grade 3 Selene Stakes winner Paladin Bay is back in training at Woodbine after missing the second half of the 2014 season with bone bruising.

Trainer Harold Ladouceur said the injury occurred after Paladin Bay ran third in the Bison City Stakes on July 13 and that she might have been able to return before the end of the year.

“We could have probably tried after six weeks off, but it was so late in the season, and I didn’t want to ship her anywhere, so we decided to take the rest of the year off,” he said.

The extended break appears to have served Paladin Bay well. According to Ladouceur, Paladin Bay has filled out nicely and has gained approximately 300 pounds.

“She’s amazing right now,” he said. “She’s quite a bit bigger. She’s taller and heavier. She’s in really good order right now, and we’re very happy with her.”

Ladouceur said he’s targeting the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs May 9 for Paladin Bay’s return, but she’s also nominated to the Whimsical Stakes.

“You just never know in horse racing,” he said. “She’s working well, and she came out of this breeze nicely. We’ll breeze her again next week, and all you can do is go from there.”

Ladouceur said he’d like to try Paladin Bay on the turf at some point this season, a surface she has yet to run on in 13 career starts.

“She’s got the pedigree for it and the body for it,” he said.