Paladin Bay noses out heavy favorite in Selene

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Paladin Bay established herself as the favorite for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks with a determined victory over 2-5 choice My Conquestadory in the $208,500 Selene Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

Paladin Bay ($8.90) raced along the inside in third in the four-horse field of 3-year-old fillies, as My Conquestadory set moderate fractions in the 1 1/16-mile route. Paladin Bay came inside My Conquestadory early in the stretch, and they proceeded to battle to the wire with Paladin Bay prevailing by a nose, in 1:43.96. Midnight Bliss and Cool Faith completed the order of finish.

Gerry Olguin rode Paladin Bay for owner Jessie Ladouceur, the wife of trainer Harold Ladouceur.

“She has been training better than she ever has,” Olguin said. “Coming up to this race, I told Harold she’s getting better, and she showed it. We’re going to enjoy this one, but we want the next one,” he said, referring to the June 15 Woodbine Oaks.

Paladin Bay earned an Ontario-bred and an Ontario-sired bonus in the Grade 3 event, in which she banked a total of $151,200. She was bred by Ericka Rusnak, the manager of Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm in Ontario.