Shamans Girl looks to get back on track in turf debut

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Shamans Girl will try to turn her form around on the grass with an eye toward the Wonder Where Stakes in Sunday’s featured allowance at Woodbine that has a $50,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies.

Owned by Stronach Stables, Shamans Girl graduated in style when debuting here Dec. 2 in the Shady Well Stakes, in which she missed the break before closing outside from a trailing sixth to win going away over Vandoo and Little Teddy.

Shamans Girl wintered with trainer Harold Ladouceur at Laurel, where she finished a well-beaten fifth on dirt in the Wide Country Stakes on Feb. 24. She subsequently ran fifth in both the Fury and Grade 3 Selene Stakes here before ending up 10th in the Woodbine Oaks on July 20.

By 9 percent turf sire Shaman Ghost, Shamans Girl possesses some grass breeding on the dam’s side of her pedigree. Her dam, Ginger Brew, won the Calder Oaks and is a half-sister to the Grade 2-winning turfer Bourbon Bay. Ginger Brew produced one winner from six turf starters.

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At 1 1/4 miles on the main turf here Sept. 8, the $250,000 Wonder Where is the third leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, following the Oaks and Bison City Stakes in the series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

“We’re going to shoot for the Wonder Where with her,” Ladouceur said. “We’ll try her in [this] allowance race first to see if she likes the grass. With her style, I think she’s going to like it.”

Scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the main turf, the eighth race feature lured nine others, including Destiny Ro, Lookin to Conquer, Smiling Ellie, Miss Roberts, and Perfect Lady Bee.

Destiny Ro has been in solid form throughout the meet. She was claimed for $25,000 by trainer Randy Thompson from her victorious season opener on the inner turf, over which she placed in each of her last two outings. She was a belated third on the main turf three starts ago after steadying in the stretch and competes for the $50,000 on Sunday.

Lookin to Conquer was claimed from her maiden victory on the inner turf on May 31 for $40,000 by trainer Marty Hinckson. After ending up third in a June 22 Tapeta route at this level, she was finished far back in both the Oaks and Bison City.

Trainer Mark Casse entered Smiling Ellie for the $50,000 claiming tag. She beat $30,000 maidens in December at Fair Grounds and then doubled up there in starter/optional-claiming company in January. She has worked regularly here on the Tapeta since coming up empty in a May 10 allowance/optional-claimer at Churchill.

Miss Roberts was competitive in allowance company before finishing ninth after breaking from a wide draw in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen on July 27. She was a hanging third most recently when cutting back to seven furlongs on the Tapeta.

Perfect Lady Bee is adding Lasix off a disappointing first try on turf and could get back on the beam.

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