ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Stakes winners Zabarta and Souper Diva will clash Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired or Ontario-bred 2-year-old fillies. Zabarta took a few starts to put it all together. She dropped to $25,000 and popped in her third start on Oct. 10, winning a six-furlong maiden event by 6 1/2 lengths with a 63 Beyer Speed Figure. Just nine days later, she rallied from 10 lengths off a fast pace at 13-1 to win the restricted South Ocean Stakes going away by seven lengths. The 61 Beyer that Zabarta earned in the seven-furlong South Ocean seems on the low side, but a representative of Beyer Associates said the calculation of the figures for the Oct. 19 Woodbine card was “unusually straightforward.” Zabarta breezed a half-mile in a quick 47.60 seconds on Nov. 15, much to the delight of trainer Bill Tharrenos. “It was absolutely incredible,” Tharrenos said. “The further she went, the better and stronger she got. She came back and never took a deep breath. That is what I really liked.” Tharrenos said the daughter of the obscure sire Abarta has blossomed this fall. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “I see her maturing and that she is respecting her training program a little better instead of being so anxious,” Tharrenos explained. “She is starting to settle and finish up her gallops very nicely. I am very, very happy with her. I think she is better as we are moving along and I am excited about this race.” Souper Diva has won 3 of 6 starts and $225,420 (Canadian) under the guidance of trainer Steven Chircop. She beat yearling sales stakes graduates in the Aug. 24 Muskoka and then doubled up in another 6 1/2-furlong stakes, the Victorian Queen for Ontario-sired fillies. Souper Diva failed to secure her preferred position on the lead when favored most recently in the South Ocean and faded to fourth after a stalking trip. Chircop said the daughter of Souper Speedy came out of the race with an electrolyte imbalance. “After the race, she had a pretty [negative] reaction to Lasix and thumped really bad,” Chircop said. “I think she had a genuine excuse. We’re taking her off Lasix for this race. We tried working her with a minimal [Lasix] dose, and she thumped after that work, too. Coming off Lasix, we’re hoping that will control it.” Trainer Jamie Begg sends out the stakes-placed fillies Pageant Queen and Sipping History. Pageant Queen was second in the Muskoka, third in the Victorian Queen, and second in the South Ocean. Sipping History wound up second in the Victorian Queen and third in the South Ocean. Souper Sporty graduated two starts ago in her fifth race and is coming off a third against males in the slowly run Frost King Stakes. Among the other four entrants is Bossy Candy, who got a 69 Beyer when second on debut in an open maiden special Nov. 1. Post time for the 12-race card is earlier than usual at noon. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.