Pender Harbour, Melmich meet again in Thursday feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Melmich and Pender Harbour ran one-two Sept. 2 in the Elgin Stakes and will face each other again in the Thursday feature at Woodbine, a 1 5/8-mile allowance on Polytrack that serves as the local prep for the Grade 3, $150,000 Valedictory Stakes on the meet’s closing day, Nov. 29.

Pender Harbour will be looking for revenge after chasing Melmich through slow fractions in the Elgin. Pender Harbour made his bid for the lead through the far turn, but Melmich kicked clear in the stretch to win by two lengths, while Millioninthemaking was 14 3/4 lengths farther back in third in the four-horse field.

Trainer Mike De Paulo said the slow early pace as a result of the small field did not suit Pender Harbour’s running style.

“He’s got a sustained drive,” he said. “It was kind of a funny race with slow fractions. Sometimes a smaller field looks good, but it doesn’t play to your advantage.”

Pender Harbour has been idle since the Elgin, but De Paulo said he’s happy with the way the 7-year-old gelding has been training heading into this start.

“He’s been doing very well,” he said. “After his last work, he came back bucking and playing like a 2-year-old. We’re very happy with his work.”

De Paulo said Thursday’s start would set up Pender Harbour for either the Valedictory Stakes or the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes on Nov. 25.

Noholdingback Bear heads south

It was a strong weekend both at home and abroad for the De Paulo barn, which found the winner’s circle with Bears Dama and Daylight Breeze on Saturday at Woodbine and saddled Caren for her fourth stakes win of the season Sunday in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

De Paulo also sent out Noholdingback Bear to run second in his stakes debut Saturday in the Juvenile Dirt Sprint at Keeneland on the Breeders’ Cup card. De Paulo said he was pleased with Noholdingback Bear’s effort.

“He ran a real good race,” he said. “He broke a step slow and got in a little tight, and it was his first time on dirt. I think he’s going to be a nice horse.”

With no sprint options left at the Woodbine meet for American-bred 2-year-olds, De Paulo said he will look for options for Noholdingback Bear at his winter base at Gulfstream Park. De Paulo said a possible target is the Grade 3, $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes over six furlongs on dirt Jan. 2 at Gulfstream Park for newly turned 3-year-olds.

Southern Ring gets a break

Ruling Angel Stakes winner Southern Ring will not race again at Woodbine this year after being sent to Sam-Son Farm’s division in Ocala, Fla., for a break, said trainer Malcolm Pierce.

“She’s already gone to Ocala,” he said. “She’s having a little break, and then she’ll join us at Palm Meadows in December or something like that.”

Pierce will have 17 stalls at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida for the second consecutive winter after previously operating at Fair Grounds in New Orleans during Woodbine’s offseason.

Southern Ring recorded two wins from three starts during her 3-year-old campaign. She debuted in a six-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 9 against Etobicoke Stakes winner Elusive Collection. The duo cleared the rest of the field by 6 1/2 lengths that day, but Pierce said he had expected Southern Ring to find the winner’s circle in her career debut. Elusive Collection, trained by Josie Carroll, took command of the race through the turn and held off Southern Ring by a length.

“She trained very, very well before she ever ran,” said Pierce. “I didn’t realize how good a filly Josie’s was that we ran into because I sure expected Southern Ring to win her first start. Obviously, [Elusive Collection is] a very good filly, and I think ours is a very good filly too.”

Southern Ring went on to win her maiden by 5 3/4 lengths in her next start and surged past a game Green Doctor in deep stretch to win the Ruling Angel Stakes by two lengths Oct. 17 in her most recent start.

Pierce said Southern Ring could get a start over the turf at Gulfstream Park during the winter, and while she’s excelled in sprints thus far, Pierce said the daughter of Speightstown could stretch out for a future start.