Sugar Bay seeks two-turn win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sugar Bay evolved into one of Woodbine's leading 3-year-old fillies during the summer, and she will try to keep her roll going in Saturday's $150,000 La Lorgnette Stakes.

Sugar Bay is sent out by Mac Benson, who trained La Lorgnette, the 1985 Queen's Plate winner. Sugar Bay has reached full bloom since missing the board in the Woodbine Oaks and Bison City Stakes. She won a seven-furlong allowance in July, and the seven-furlong Duchess Stakes on Aug. 9.

In her first turf attempt, which came going a mile in the Aug. 30 Ontario Colleen Stakes, Sugar Bay came wide off the turn and pulled away in the stretch to prevail with authority.

"She just keeps improving all the time," said Benson. "She had a super work last Sunday, and came out of it really good. She's a lovely filly to be around."

Sugar Bay has never won around two turns, but Benson said he has no reservations about running her 1 1/16 miles on the main track Saturday.

"Right now, I'd feel good about running her over broken glass," Benson said. "I do think that she's a little better on the turf, but she's been training and running so good on the Poly. I couldn't see any reason not to go in this race."

Chantal Sutherland has the mount on Sugar Bay, who is owned by Augustin Stable.

Nicki Knew won the June 29 Bison City, and was second to a sharp Authenicat most recently in the Eternal Search, another 1 1/16-mile stakes on the Polytrack.

"I didn't like the way the [Eternal Search] set up," said trainer Kevin Attard. "It was a small field, there was no pace, and we were on the lead. I think her best races are from off the pace, when she has horses to run at. I think she loses focus on the lead, and you can't make the lead early with her."

Skipping Queen faded to sixth after pressing the pace when favored in the Bison City, but she rebounded most recently with a victory in allowance company.

"She rated nicely last time," said trainer Brian Lynch. "That's the way she wants to run, coming from off it. In the Bison City, I brought her in from the farm too close to the race, and she was real keen. She didn't settle in the paddock like she normally does, and she wanted to pull early."