Serena's Rose looks like filly on the rise

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A pair of Ontario-sired allowances for fillies and mares make up the early double on Wednesday's Woodbine card, and Serena's Rose looks like a standout in the second, for nonwinners of three lifetime.

Serena's Rose commenced her campaign on a slow note, but she began to turn the corner three starts ago when she ran fifth in an allowance on the grass.

Serena's Rose ran the race of her life in her next-to-last outing, in another 1 1/16-mile allowance for Ontario-sired stock on the Polytrack. She came from just off a lively pace to score by 4 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:45, which translated into a solid Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

Most recently, Serena's Rose went back to the grass to contest the restricted Victoriana Stakes, and she had traffic problems along the rail before ending up a close sixth.

Slade Callaghan retains the mount on Serena's Rose, a 4-year-old trained by Ryan Jones.

Six Roses and Ocala Dawn finished second and third three weeks ago in another Ontario-sired allowance route. Six Roses benefited from an outside bias then, while Ocala Dawn made an eye-catching bid along the dead rail on the far turn before flattening out in the stretch.

Mikiko graduated two races ago against $16,000 maidens, and is coming off a workmanlike victory in a relatively slow nonwinners-of-two allowance.

Reel Tipsy should be well-backed in the opener, a 6 1/2-furlong turf dash for nonwinners of two.

Reel Tipsy mounted a strong wide rally to land her debut traveling six furlongs in July, and followed with a sixth-place finish in a seven-furlong allowance.

Reel Tipsy added Lasix for her Sept. 6 allowance engagement, and she rallied for third after being blocked behind rivals at the three-eighths pole. The 71 Beyer Figure she got then is the highest Beyer earned by any of her Wednesday rivals this year.

Reel Tipsy doesn't have much breeding for the surface at hand, but a good turf pedigree definitely isn't a prerequisite for success in turf sprints.

Fabric wound up a length back in second in Reel Tipsy's maiden triumph after making the lead in the stretch. She broke slowly in her last race, before closing along the rail to prevail by a half-length with a 65 Beyer.

Dyno d'Wildcat and Askeaton are both returning from an extended layoff, which followed a maiden win by each in Ontario-sired company.