Stein, Hernandez in close battle for meet riding title
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jockey Rafael Hernandez recorded his first Grade 1 stakes victory on Etoile in Sunday’s $630,000 E.P. Taylor, giving him a meet-leading 12 stakes wins.
When the smoke cleared after Sunday’s excellent 11-race card, Justin Stein led the rider standings by a 103-102 count over Hernandez. Stein, who won the Grade 2 Nearctic on Silent Poet, is scheduled to serve a three-day suspension from Oct. 30-Nov. 1, which could be appealed.
Sunday’s riding star was Emma-Jayne Wilson, whose hat trick included lucrative scores on Say the Word in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf and Helium in the $101,600 Display Stakes. She ranks third in the standings with 70 wins, four more than last year’s top apprentice, Kazushi Kimura.
Apprentice Hannah Twomey was handed a suspension of five racing days from Oct. 23-30 for careless riding in Friday’s eighth race, during which she lost her irons on Polydeuces and nearly fell off.
Meet the Soprano looks tough
Thursday’s nominal feature for 2-year-old fillies could be the coming out party for Meet the Soprano, who should be favored in the maiden sprint for Ontario-sired runners and $40,000 claimers.
Meet the Soprano was a fat 23-1 when debuting over six furlongs Oct. 3. After stalking a fast pace along the rail, she caught the leader in midstretch before getting outfinished by a closing Jill Marie en route to a second-place finish, after which she galloped out strongly. The 55 Beyer Speed Figure she earned is easily the highest in Thursday’s race.
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Trainer Bill Tharrenos said he loved his chances heading into Meet the Soprano’s debut and felt jockey Daisuke Fukumoto rode her with a little too much confidence.
“I didn’t think she would lose,” Tharrenos said. “She had been finishing in her works and galloping out strong. She laid down the last four or five jumps and then kicked back in. I think if he had gotten after her a little more, she could have won. I think she’ll show her real colors on Thursday. It will take a good horse to beat her.”
The speedy Musical Ride is dropping from open maiden special company to try Tapeta for the first time since a sixth-place finish in her first of three starts.
Stepitupstephanie is moving up off a $25,000 claim by trainer Norm McKnight, who won with a maiden 2-year-old going from $25,000 to $40,000 last Thursday. After a tough loss in her opener, she got fried in a speed duel in a five-furlong inner turf dash Oct. 3.
◗ Lookout Louie will put his unique win streak on the line in Thursday’s eighth race for $5,000 claimers. He defeated $5,000 maidens in a head-bob finish Sept. 6. Three weeks later, he notched a $5,000 nonwinners-of-two sprint in another head-bob under Slade Callaghan, who will ride him again here for trainer Mike DePaulo.