Virus, layoffs can't stop Grant's pair

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Carlos Grant won with his first two starters at the meet, Eskiminzin and Moksgmol, last weekend. What was particularly impressive about the feat was that both Jecara Farms homebreds had recovered from a bout of the equine herpesvirus that swept through Barn 12 at Woodbine in May.

Eskiminzin won a second-level optional claimer going 7 1/2 furlongs on the inner turf over a good field at 7-2. The 5-year-old was the first winner here for Darryll Holland since the former English rider won the curtain raiser on opening-day June 6.

Moksgmol was 7-1 in a nonwinners-of-two sprint on the main turf for Ontario-sired allowance types and $40,000 claimers. She disposed of the heavily-favored Silent Causeway on the front end before drawing clear under Sheena Ryan, who was coming off a brief retirement from riding. Ryan was aboard for Moksgmol’s debut score at 2, after which the 4-year-old lost 18 straight races.

Grant said the equine herpesvirus was a major setback to his small operation.

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

“We were in quarantine for nearly a month in the sales barns,” Grant recalled. “We couldn’t train. We couldn’t do anything. All we could to was walk them by hand. They had [equine herpesvirus], but they never stopped eating. They were always bright. With the downtime from their training, the main thing was their body wasn’t being stressed. I cut back the grains and fed them more hay. I got them out as early as possible in the morning for a 25-minute walk before the sun got hot. I did everything myself.”

Grant said he was pleasantly surprised to see both runners run strongly off a long layoff.

“I knew they were going to run good, but I didn’t expect them to win the way they did,” Grant admitted.

Grant said Eskiminzin will run back July 19 in the $100,000 Shepperton Stakes, in which he figures to hook Pink Lloyd. He has faced the three-time Canadian champion male sprinter four times, most recently when seventh in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road in November.

“He’s doing very good,” Grant said. “He’s a little tired, but he’s okay.”

36 eligible for Woodbine Oaks

Woodbine has released an updated list of 36 Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies eligible for the 65th running of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on Aug. 15.

Reigning Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Curlin’s Voyage established herself as the early Oaks favorite after capturing the $125,000 Fury Stakes in a heart-stopping finish last Sunday.

Among the others nominated are the once-beaten former Hastings runner Infinite Patience, who is one of four supplements. She was a front-running third in her Woodbine debut in the seven-furlong Fury. Star Shoot Stakes winner Owlette and stakes-placed Merveilleux are two other notable contenders.

Fifty-eight fillies were originally nominated to the nine-furlong Oaks.