Victory Romance at home in route

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Victory Romance recently found her calling around two turns, and she should be favored Saturday at Woodbine in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, which has lured just four other Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Victory Romance, an Alberta-bred trained by Josie Carroll, wound up third and then fifth in her first two starts here in the summer. She won her maiden race in a sprint stakes for graduates of Alberta yearling sales Aug. 18 at Northlands Park, receiving a Beyer Speed Figure of 56.

"That was a legit race," said Carroll. "It was a good finishing race."

Victory Romance stretched out to the Princess Elizabeth distance of 1 1/16 miles here most recently in the Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes. She set a moderate pace over a track that favored closers, and finished a valiant second to favored Officer Cherrie.

"We thought that she'd probably end up being a two-turn filly," said Carroll. "She ran even better than we expected the last time out."

Carroll said Victory Romance and her dam, Moonbeam Dancing, are similar in stature.

"She's a big, strong filly, like her mother," said Carroll. "She never made the races, because we weren't able to keep her sound, but we really liked her. She showed some ability."

The Mark Casse-trained Satin Slippers crossed the wire on top second time out, going a mile and 70 yards, only to be disqualified for interference in the stretch. Most recently, Satin Slippers trailed in a five-horse field after breaking slowly in the Grade 3 Mazarine.

Her regular rider, Patrick Husbands, was aboard her stablemate Officer Cherrie in that race but will be aboard Saturday.

"I don't know what the excuse was for her last race," said Husbands. "We were high on her going into that stakes, but she never fired. I've worked her twice going into this race, and she's in good shape."

Mrs. Began is a maiden making her first start beyond seven furlongs. She rallied for fourth the last time she ran, on Sept. 3 in the restricted Muskoka Stakes.

Trainer Reade Baker said Mrs. Began underwent throat surgery after the Muskoka, which should help her to negotiate a route of ground.