Skylander Girl set to fire fresh in Whimsical Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After getting the winter off, Skylander Girl will look to get her 5-year-old campaign started on the right note in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Whimsical Stakes over six furlongs on Woodbine’s new Tapeta main track, which replaces a Polytrack surface.
Skylander Girl had three races under her belt at Gulfstream Park last winter before running second in last year’s edition of the Whimsical Stakes, but will be making her first start of the year in this year’s renewal. Despite the extended vacation, trainer Alexander Patykewich said Skylander Girl has been training forwardly.
“I’m very comfortable with where she is right now,” he said. “They’re going to have to catch her.”
Skylander Girl’s work tab this spring is filled with bullet works. Most recently she covered five furlongs in 1:00.00 on Tapeta on March 28. Patykewich said Skylander Girl has taken to the new surface well.
“She’s been going very good,” he said. “I’m very happy with the way she’s been training. I think they’re training even faster on this track than they were on the Poly.”
Whimsical, Race 8
Key Contenders
Skylander Girl
Last 3 Beyers: 83-85-81
◗ Her gate speed and inside draw should help her get position on the rail under new jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson.
◗ In her victory in last year’s Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes, she got away with a moderate pace without being challenged on the lead, but she may have more speed to deal with in this field.
Leigh Court
Last 3 Beyers: 88-69-91
◗ She has a start under her belt this winter when she took the field gate-to-wire to win the Mardi Gras Stakes on turf at Fair Grounds on Feb. 9.
◗ She has experience racing over Tapeta, having earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in her second-place finish in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes last September.
Green Doctor
Last 3 Beyers: 78-82-69
◗ She could add a little more speed to this fray, having run on or near the lead in her last four sprints.
◗ She enjoys the distance, having won three of her four starts going six furlongs.
Ida Bambina
Last 3 Beyers: 76-77-83
◗ She could hold a fitness edge over the field after her two starts at Gulfstream Park this winter.
◗ She was outrun by graded stakes winner Stonetastic early in her most recent start on Feb. 14 in the Miami Shores Handicap, but went on to beat half the field to finish fourth.