Stein, Attard try to stay hot with Sunsprite in Georgian Bay Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jockey Justin Stein and trainer Kevin Attard combined to win two major stakes last Sunday, the $500,800 Woodbine Oaks with Munnyfor Ro and the Grade 2 Royal North with Amalfi Coast. They will try to keep the ball rolling with Sunsprite in Saturday’s $80,000 Georgian Bay Stakes.

The Georgian Bay for 3-year-old fillies is one of two five-furlong inner-turf sprints for Ontario-sired sophomores on the card, along with the $80,000 Lake Huron for colts and geldings.

Sunsprite began slowly from the outside post in a 10-horse field before closing wide for third against older Ontario-sired allowance opposition in her July 18 season opener at six furlongs on the main turf.

“I thought she ran game,” Attard said. “She was finishing on end. We’re cutting her back to five-eighths for this race and tried to sharpen her up in the interim. She’s going to have to leave the gate a lot better than she did last time to be competitive going five-eighths.”

After graduating at first asking on the Tapeta at 2, Sunsprite ran super in back-to-back inner-turf events in the fall. She led until deep stretch when second to Il Malocchio in the 7 1/2-furlong Victorian Queen Stakes for Ontario-sired fillies, and then won an allowance when shortening up to five furlongs.

“She handled the inner turf really well last year,” Attard recalled.

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After struggling during the early portion of the meet, Attard and go-to rider Stein have been clicking on all cylinders.

“It was a slow start, but I don’t think we were doing anything wrong,” Attard said. “It was just a matter of the horses putting it all together. It seems like they are now.”

The Georgian Bay attracted five others, including supplements Humble Beginnings and Nero Davola. Benny’s Button got an 82 Beyer Speed Figure when beating $25,000 maidens on debut over the Tapeta July 3.

The Lake Huron drew a field of six, including All Canadian and Dragon’s Brew.

All Canadian was second to the talented Avoman the only time he competed on the inner turf, in the 7 1/2-furlong Bull Page Stakes for Ontario-sired males in September.

All Canadian wired nonwinners-of-two Ontario-sired stock in his season opener on the main turf. He never fired over that course during a wide trip most recently over against nonwinners-of-three foes.

Dragon’s Brew annexed his first two starts at 2, including the rich Simcoe Stakes, but he tailed off after a wide third-place finish in the Bull Page. He ended his slide July 17 by beating nonwinners-of-three Ontario-sired opponents on the main turf by daylight with an 88 Beyer in his second start off the sidelines.