Star Shoot serves as stepping-stone for Woodbine Oaks prospects

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A trio of Canadian-bred fillies made their seasonal debuts in the Star Shoot Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine and used the race as a prep for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on June 15.

Paladin Bay, the runner-up, wintered in Ontario at Highwood Equestrian Center but had been training well at Woodbine this spring for owner and trainer Harold Ladouceur.

“I was very pleased,” Ladouceur said. “She did her job, she came running. [Zensational Bunny] had a bit of a fitness edge on us, but I think Paladin Bay is for real.”

Ladouceur is looking to stretch out Paladin Bay for her next start in the Grade 3, $150,000 Selene Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for 3-year-old fillies May 18, but also will nominate her for the $150,000 Fury Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint restricted to Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies May 10.

Lexie Lou, who wintered in Florida with owner and trainer John Ross, was off the pace early in the Star Shoot but rallied late to finish fourth.“She came out of it very good,” Ross said. “Six furlongs is really not her kind of game, but she got up fourth and galloped out real strong. It’s a step forward in the right direction.”

Ross also is considering the Selene for Lexie Lou’s final Oaks prep but may opt to run in the Fury instead.

While Ladouceur and Ross were both pleased with their fillies, owner and trainer Alexander Patykewich was disappointed with Skylander Girl’s sixth-place finish in the Star Shoot, in which her tack slipped in the stretch.

“The rider told me he was trying to adjust the tack and hold on at the same time, and he couldn’t push her,” he said. “It’s just really discouraging when you think you have a really good shot at winning the race and something like that happens, but that’s horse racing.”

Patykewich confirmed that Skylander Girl is still on the Oaks trail and will make her next start in the Fury.