Unspurned will try to pair graded wins in Hendrie Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Unspurned came out guns blazing in her season opener, winning the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes in her first race with Lasix. She will try to double up Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint with a base purse of $150,000.
Unspurned had a productive sophomore campaign last year that included a victory in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes. She also ran second in three other stakes.
Unspurned romped in her 2014 debut in a seven-furlong allowance, so it wasn’t surprising to see her take the six-furlong Whimsical off a winter layoff April 18. Trainer Roger Attfield said he had anticipated a strong showing from her then, after she vacationed in Florida and Kentucky.
“She’d been training super,” Attfield said. “She had a freshening and trained well at Keeneland. She filled out really well over the winter. I think she’s fully matured now.”
Attfield said he thinks Unspurned has retained her sharpness heading into the Hendrie.
“She’s stayed in good shape and is doing everything the same,” Attfield said. “Everything should be fine.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Unspurned (Last 3 Beyers: 90-80-78)
◗ Attfield, who won major stakes with first-time Lasix users in the past, said Unspurned bled a bit in her final 2014 outing.
“She just had a slight little trickle, so I thought it was worthwhile doing,” Attfield said.
Skylander Girl (Last 3 Beyers: 87-73-86)
◗ The durable and versatile 4-year-old posted a record of 1-4-1 in 11 starts in 2014, and she has two runner-up finishes from three outings this year.
◗ Following a winter campaign on the grass at Gulfstream, she was a valiant second in the Whimsical after pressing Executive Allure through fast fractions.
Disco Barbie (Last 3 Beyers: 72-76-77)
◗ The synthetic-track expert is one of two Maryland shippers trained by Dale Capuano in the lineup, along with Miss Mischief, who might be prepping for a longer engagement.
◗ She has never won a stakes but was second in both of her starts over Woodbine’s Polytrack last fall, in the Grade 2 Bessarabian and the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion. She wasn’t an impact player in a trio of dirt stakes at Laurel during the winter.
Paladin Bay (Last 3 Beyers: 58-77-81)
◗ She upset My Conquestadory in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes last May and has been idle since ending up a distant third July 13 in the Bison City. She has worked well, and her previous races when returning from a layoff were good, but she might need one off the 10-month break.