Speed Seeker battles way to Ontario Colleen victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The favored Speed Seeker overcame a troubled journey to capture the $169,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes impressively under Luis Contreras at Woodbine on Saturday.

Speed Seeker ($7.40) was steadied while in tight early in the one-mile turf route. After awaiting room on the turn, she rallied between the leaders in the stretch en route to a 4 3/4-length score in 1:34.91 over the good ground.

Executive Allure and Daring Kathy, who vied for the lead, finished second and third, respectively, in the nine-horse field of 3-year-old fillies. Sushi Empire was scratched in the paddock.

“I got squeezed a couple of jumps after leaving the gate,” Contreras said. “I just tried to relax her and make her finish. When I asked her at the head of the lane, she gave me a good [turn of foot].”

The Grade 3 event was the first Woodbine stakes victory for Joan Scott, who trains Speed Seeker for owners Robert Johnson and partners.

** Stella Perdomo’s Meri Shika ($51) wore down the front-running favorite Savvy Hester in deep stretch to take Saturday’s supporting feature, the $100,200 Flaming Page Stakes.

With Emma-Jayne Wilson riding for trainer Roger Attfield, Meri Shika covered 1 1/2 miles over good turf in 2:30.22, while prevailing by 1 1/4 lengths.

“Roger and I talked in the paddock, and his only instructions were to get her covered up, like they do in Europe,” Wilson said. “That’s what I did. She settled in down the backstretch. When I tipped her out in the stretch, she was full of run.”