Stonetown picks up Elgin marbles

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stonetown won his fourth consecutive race in his first venture around two turns Monday at Woodbine in the 1 1/16-mile Elgin Stakes.

The Elgin was one of six $125,000 stakes on the card for graduates of local yearling sales. The winner of each race banked $75,000.

Stonetown led throughout, setting moderate fractions under Emile Ramsammy. Ever So Free rallied for second, and favored Edenwold was a fading fifth in the seven-horse field.

It was the first start beyond seven furlongs and the stakes debut for Stonetown, who covered the distance in 1:43.92.

"The horse did it all today," said winning trainer Abraham Katryan, who also entered Stonetown in the six-furlong Kenora before scratching him. "I didn't want to turn him back in distance."

Stonetown is owned by Spring Farm and Racing Canada Inc.

* Arden Belle ($2.40) was a workmanlike winner over Dance to My Tune in the 1/16-mile Algoma.

Arden Belle pressed a slow pace along the inside under Matt Moore, before edging away to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:45.75.

Ron Sadler trains Arden Belle for Salt and Pepper Stable.

* Don's Folly ($3.90) overhauled Drunken Love in the final sixteenth to take the Simcoe, a seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Don's Folly, trained by Mike DePaulo for owner Don Cole, scored by two lengths under Slade Callaghan, in a time of 1:23.39.

* Favored Lake Secret ($7.60) set a lively pace in the Kenora, and held on to win by 1 1/4 lengths over a closing Dancer's Bajan.

Lake Secret sizzled the six-furlong distance in 1:09.34, which was just .31 of a second off the Polytrack record. He is trained by Vito Armata for Frances Scala Stables.

* Ramsammy won his second stakes on the card aboard Simple Sister in the Muskoka, for 2-year-old fillies.

Simple Sister rallied from a stalking position and mowed down favored Executrix inside the eighth pole en route to a 1 1/2-length triumph over first-timer starter Six Pack Sammy.

Simple Sister, owned by No Comprende Racing, completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:23.94, and returned $9.50.

"She's a nervous filly," said trainer Albert Schembri. "It runs in the family."

* My Imperial Dancer ($13) captured the Halton by two lengths over Full of Run.

With Gerry Olguin riding for trainer Norm McKnight, My Imperial Dancer ran a mile on the turf in 1:34.96. He is owned by J.M. Stritzl Stable.