Red-hot DePaulo has Rising Star for Breeders' Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – One could argue that no trainer has been hotter here this summer than Mike DePaulo, who has won 16 races since July 1. Through last Sunday, he was tied for fourth in the standings with 22 triumphs at the meet.

DePaulo supplemented Rising Star to Saturday’s $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. DePaulo won the 1 1/2-mile turf route for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds with Pender Harbour in 2011.

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Rising Star became the third horse to win out of the June 29 Queen’s Plate when he won his first turf race, a nine-furlong maiden special under Jesse Campbell on July 27.

“The cool part was Jesse said he needed the outrider to help pull him up,” DePaulo said. “He breezed good the other day on the Tapeta.”

A son of Ghostzapper, Rising Star is a half-brother to Seeking Albert, a Grade 2-placed turf marathoner who finished fourth in the 2017 Breeders’ for DePaulo.

DePaulo won an Ontario-sired allowance dash on the inner turf with Woodstock Stakes winner Souper Success last Saturday. The Souper Speedy gelding earned a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He ran a real good race,” said DePaulo, who plans on running him back Sept. 1 in the $100,000 Ontario Jockey Club Stakes at six furlongs on the Tapeta for 3-year-olds.

DePaulo sent out Double Medal to work five-eighths in a sizzling 57.80 seconds last Saturday on the Tapeta. The runner-up in the June 8 William D. Graham Memorial Stakes here in her first start off a $40,000 claim at Aqueduct, Double Medal is eligible for a first-level allowance, but another stakes engagement also could be in her future.

Canmore has blossomed this summer for DePaulo. After romping in Ontario-sired allowance company on the inner turf July 6, the 5-year-old outlasted first-level allowance types with a career-high 88 Beyer on the main turf last Sunday. He may look to continue his winning ways against second-level optional-claiming opposition.

◗ The catalog is out for the 2019 Canadian premier yearling sale, which has 273 entries. Among the entries are a full brother to 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd; a half-brother to Canadian champion 3-year-old Pender Harbour, from the first crop of Reload; and a son of Society’s Chairman out of the dam of Canadian champion older female Bear Now.

Among the major consignors are agents Ballycroy Training Centre, Buttigieg Training Centre, Cara Bloodstock, John Carey, Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, Richard G. Hogan, and Shannondoe Farm.

The sale is scheduled for noon on Aug. 29 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion.

◗ Friday’s seven-race card is headed by an optional starter over seven furlongs on the Tapeta. Post time is 4:05 p.m.