Two stakes close out Ontario Heritage Series

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Off a breakout stakes score on the grass, My Girl Sky goes back to Tapeta in Friday’s $100,000 Ashbridges Bay for fillies, one of two 1 1/16-mile Ontario-sired stakes for 3-year-olds on the Woodbine card, along with the $100,000 Lake Ontario.

The races are anchor legs in the Ontario Sired Heritage Series.

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva for owner Kevin Drew, My Girl Sky has stuck to the turf since a runner-up finish to Strega in a May 27 Ontario-sired allowance route.

My Girl Sky cut back to seven furlongs most recently in the third leg of the series and won the Thunder Bay Stakes by daylight under Steve Bahen. Vassilieva has no qualms with racing the daughter of Dynamic Sky on the main track again.

“I think she’s just as good on the Tapeta as she is on the turf,” Vassilieva said. “I know she’s going to like the distance. Last year, I had Jilli Marie in this race, and it was a stretch for her. I’m going into it a lot more confidently with this filly, because I know she’s going to like the stretch-out.”

My Girl Sky breezed a half-mile on the Tapeta last Friday.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

“She had a nice work with Steve Bahen aboard,” Vassilieva said. “She went in 48 and galloped out [five-eighths] in a minute. I was really happy with it. She’s doing really well.”

All seven nominees were entered in the Ashbridges Bay, in which Strega could lead the way under Kazushi Kimura.

Trained by Kevin Attard for Lanni Bloodstock, Strega rode a golden rail in a narrow loss in the Aug. 14 Bison City Stakes for Canadian-breds. She has since finished fifth in the Wonder Where Stakes on the grass and fourth in an Ontario-sired allowance on the Tapeta.

Lake Ontario Stakes

Canadian Triple Crown participants Hunt Master and Lac Macaza are among a field of six in the Lake Ontario for colts and geldings.

Hunt Master was a well-beaten seventh in the Queen’s Plate on Aug. 21 and was distanced in the mud in the Prince of Wales Stakes on Sept. 13 at Fort Erie. He got a 92 Beyer Speed Figure on Oct. 21 when second to favored Banff in the second leg of the series for the boys, the seven-furlong Lake Superior Stakes.

“The only two blemishes on his card are the Plate and Prince of Wales,” trainer Angus Buntain said. “The Prince of Wales was a debacle, and he was outclassed in the Plate. It was nice to see him rebound last time out. That was his very first race on turf, and I was a little unsure how he’d do on the grass, but obviously, it was a lifetime-best effort, especially Beyer-wise.”

Lac Macaza was a respectable third two back in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes on the grass. He earned an 82 Beyer most recently when second in a 1 1/16-mile allowance with a $32,000 claiming option.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.