Pirate's Trove will return to favored Polytrack in Bessarabian

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Pirate’s Trove has shipped to Woodbine for a pair of stakes wins on Polytrack this season in the Duchess and Etobicoke stakes and appears poised for a return engagement in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bessarabian Stakes.

Pirate’s Trove was undefeated in three starts heading into her last race on dirt at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes on Oct. 18, but she didn’t appear to handle the surface and finished last of 11.

“She had worked well on the Keeneland dirt, even though previously her dirt works hadn’t been very good,” said trainer Michael Stidham. “We took a shot, and things didn’t go like we were hoping.”

Stidham said his 3-year-old filly appears to be at her best on synthetic, and he’s hopeful that that form will carry over to the grass in the future.

“Right now, we would have to believe her best surfaces are maybe going to be synthetic and hopefully turf,” he said. “She’s worked well on turf, but we haven’t run her on turf yet.”

Pirate’s Trove has been training at Churchill Downs ahead of the Bessarabian, and Stidham said she has come out of the Raven Run well.

“She came out of it in good shape, and she’s doing well,” he said.