Spring in the Air prevails as favorite in Hendrie Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grade 1 winner Spring in the Air was the class of Saturday’s Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes, and she prevailed as the lukewarm favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.

Kitty Wine set an honest early pace with two other American invaders in close proximity, Unhedged and Purely Hot, who was coming off a victory here in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes.

Spring in the Air raced wide throughout and rallied from sixth to prevail by a length over 25-1 shot Mekong Delta. Aunt Els, a 50-1 outsider, finished another half-length back in third in the eight-horse field. The final time was 1:16.79.

Patrick Husbands rode Spring in the Air, who was Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly in 2012 for trainer Mark Casse.

“She ran a decent race,” Husbands said. “When I reached the five-eighths pole, I saw four horses going head and head, so the most important thing I was interested in was not to get caught behind them when they started to stop. I took her out at the five-eighths pole and watched them, and she just ran them down.”

Spring in the Air ($7.10) earned $108,000 of the $177,000 purse for owner John Oxley, who won two races on the card.