Woodbine: Achievement matches Incredicat vs. Jenna's Wabbit

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Incredicat will spar with Jenna’s Wabbit in what should be a spirited matchup over six furlongs on a holiday Monday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Achievement Stakes.

Incredicat was on the Queen’s Plate trail in the spring, during which he went coast to coast in the 1 1/16-mile Wando Stakes on April 21. He went on to finish a fading sixth behind eventual Plate winner Strait of Dover in the 1 1/16-mile Marine Stakes.

Incredicat set lively fractions en route to running a distant second in the nine-furlong Plate Trial Stakes and then bypassed the Plate because of the 10-furlong distance.

Trainer Ian Black believes that Incredicat doesn’t have to race up front to be competitive as evidenced by his first-out score at 2.

“He doesn’t really need the lead,” Black said. “He sat off horses the first time he ran going five and a half.”

Black said Incredicat has trained encouragingly leading up to the Achievement.

“He’s doing well,” Black said. “He’s breezed back two half-miles. He’s sharp and in good order.”

The speedy Jenna’s Wabbit is the most accomplished runner in the race for Ontario-bred 3-year-olds. He won two restricted stakes in the fall before undergoing minor ankle surgery, which delayed his return to competition.

Jenna’s Wabbit took to the grass like a duck to water in his season debut in the restricted Bold Ruckus Stakes. Normally a front-runner, he stalked the leaders along the inside on the turn and then closed wide through the stretch to prevail with ease after bumping with Bear and Rod.

Trainer Ralph Biamonte said he was pleasantly surprised by the way Jenna’s Wabbit handled the yielding turf in the six-furlong Bold Ruckus.

“He really liked it,” Biamonte said. “I was hoping he would.”

Biamonte said Jenna’s Wabbit has been on the muscle since the June 9 Bold Ruckus, and he predicted another powerful performance.

“He’s dying to run,” Biamonte said. “Incredicat better be ready to run, because Jenna’s going to run his best.”

Four others were entered – Fastestwhogetspaid, Bear and Rod, Mr. Monty, and No Exchanges.

Fastestwhogetspaid defeated $40,000 starter allowance opposition going about 1 1/16 miles on the grass last time out at Arlington. He was previously third here in the Queenston Stakes on the Polytrack.

Bear and Rod was scratched from an Ontario-sired turf allowance on Saturday in favor of this spot.