Texas trainer has hot shooter in Selene

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - You would think that Texas-based trainer Donnie Von Hemel would like to forget the only time he ran a horse at Woodbine.

Von Hemel, who will saddle unbeaten Pin Oak Stable runner See How She Runs in Monday's Grade 1 Selene Stakes, sent out odds-on favorite Clever Trevor here in the 1989 Molson Million, but went home disappointed when Clever Trevor finished fourth, in a race won by Prized.

"We had a great time," said Von Hemel of his Molson Million experience. "Of course, we would have preferred a different result, but overall, it was a positive experience. When the people at Pin Oak mentioned this race, we had no hesitation coming back."

See How She Runs has made all four of her starts at Oaklawn Park this year. She won her first two at six furlongs, then won a one-mile allowance by eight lengths.

Last time in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes, See How She Runs dueled up front before taking control, and then held off a charging Lake Lady to win by three-quarters of a length. Her final time of 1:43.80 earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

"From the beginning, we felt she was a very nice filly," Von Hemel said, "but I don't think we could have envisioned her winning her first four races, and the Fantasy to boot."

See How She Runs worked five-eighths in a bullet 59.40 seconds on the main track here Wednesday under exercise rider Alan Lawrence.

"Alan said she did it well within herself," Von Hemel said. "He said she cooled out quickly. Hopefully, we didn't do too much with her."

Don Pettinger, who rode Clever Trevor here, has the mount.

See How She Runs could vie for favoritism in Monday's $280,250, 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies with Ginger Gold, the reigning champion 2-year-old filly in Canada.

Ginger Gold, trained by Sid Attard, was a close second in her only start this year, in the Fury Stakes. She led through quick fractions under Patrick Husbands in that seven-furlong dash, and yielded grudgingly to Gonetofarr.

"She ran a good race in the Fury," said Attard, "but she was a little too sharp. She went in 22 and 44 [seconds] and change. I was hoping he could have taken her back a little."

Also in the nine-horse field is Kentucky-based First Again, who was scratched from Friday's Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico.

Chamrousse, who won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan, was previously third in the Fantasy, finishing a length behind See How She Runs.