Too Late Now holds on in Oaks

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Too Late Now got a little late in deep stretch, but she held on bravely after a front-running journey to capture the $500,000 at Woodbine Sunday.

Too Late Now went right to the lead in the nine-furlong test for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, and set fractions of :22.79 and :47.47 seconds while being pressed by Buffalo Jump. Seeking The Ring stalked in third until midway on the far turn, where Buffalo Jump broke down.

Too Late Now established a clear lead at the quarter pole, but she began to weaken in the final sixteenth as Seeking The Ring began to surge. She prevailed by a neck under Robert Landry, in a final time of 1:53.05.

"I didn't really want to be on the lead," said Landry, "but she found herself there. That's just the way it worked today, and she hung on. I wouldn't really want to ride her that way in the future."

Santerra finished a length and a half behind Seeking The Ring in third. Santerra was followed by Brattothecore, Kabul, Kissed By A Prince, Mountain Dawn, Appleby Gardens and Macdashi. Buffalo Jump had to be humanely destroyed.

Too Late Now ($3.30) extended her unbeaten record to four races. An obscurely bred daughter of Raj Waki, she earned $300,000 for Come By Chance Stable and trainer Jim Day, who was winning the Oaks for a record fifth time.

* Pants N Kisses ($34.70) notched her first stakes win in Sunday's supporting feature, the $136,875 Victoria Park Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Pants N Kisses had a perfect stalking trip under Constant Montpellier, and made the lead at the sixteenth pole before holding off Dance Engagement to score by a neck. Tracy's Tonka Toy was third in the seven-horse field, while favored Quiet Dare finished fifth.

Pants N Kisses, who covered nine furlongs in 1:53.12, is trained by Dave Cotey, who owns him in partnership with Hugh Galbraith and Derek Ball.