Tiller holding pair of aces for Victorian Queen Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Bob Tiller should be holding a strong hand in the $125,000 Victorian Queen Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday, when he runs the stakes winner Eff Bee Eye and the unbeaten Pohdi Pohdi in the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired juvenile fillies.
Eff Bee Eye captured the six-furlong Nandi Stakes over Brooklynsway in her third career start Aug. 3. She subsequently ran third behind the victorious Brooklynsway in another restricted stakes, the 6 1/2-furlong Muskoka.
Eff Bee Eye’s only poor performance came in her second start in the Shady Well Stakes, in which she faded to finish fourth after an inside, stalking trip.
“That was a funny race,” Tiller said. “I thought she had an excuse. She was in the 1 hole and got left in the gate.”
Pohdi Pohdi posted an impressive 9 1/4-length score in her lone start in a five-furlong maiden special weight race for Ontario-sired stock Aug. 23. Her time of 57.53 seconds translated into a big 78 Beyer Speed Figure.
Tiller is cautiously optimistic that Pohdi Pohdi will run another strong race Saturday.
“She’s trained well into it,” Tiller said. “I would have liked to have gotten another start into her, but a non-winners-of-two [allowance] didn’t go. She might be a little short on seasoning, but she’s going into the race in real good shape. She’s compact and very racy. She’s always shown determination.”
The Victorian Queen attracted six others, including supplements Internal Bourbon and Ritzy Lass.
Victorian Queen Stakes, race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Eff Bee Eye (Last 3 Beyers: 56-56-43)
◗ With four starts under her belt, she’s the most experienced runner in the lineup, along with Ritzy Lass, and is versatile in terms of running style.
“We’ve been pointing her for this race,” said Tiller, who has won five stakes at the meet.
Pohdi Pohdi (Last Beyer: 78)
Tiller said she worked well in company with Bull Page Stakes winner Goodoldhockeygame on Sept. 8, breezing five-eighths in 59.60. She subsequently worked solo twice, to Tiller’s satisfaction.
“She was very relaxed when she worked alone,” Tiller said.
Internal Bourbon (Last 3 Beyers: 56-58-62)
◗ She was competitive in all three of her races, on two different surfaces. She won her maiden going from turf to Polytrack on Sept. 14 over Galina Point, who won her next start in an open maiden special weight race impressively.
This Charles Fipke homebred is from the first crop of Queen’s Plate winner Not Bourbon. Her dam, the Giant’s Causeway mare Internallyflawless, won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.