Woodbine: Acting Naughty leads parade of longshots in Whimsical

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— A pair of longshots, Acting Naughty and Starship Universe, duked it out in Sunday’s $152,200 Whimsical Stakes, and when the smoke cleared, Acting Naughty prevailed by a head in the Grade 3 sprint at Woodbine.

Acting Naughty ($31.30) rallied wide from midpack to link up on the lead at the eighth pole with 61-1 outsider Starship Universe, who had come from an inside stalking position. Katie Get Excited also closed wide from off the lively pace to finish third, while Northern Passion edged out pacemaker Distracting for fourth. Sisterly Love, the 2-1 favorite, checked in eighth in the nine-horse field.

With the favorite out of the money, the exacta paid $673.40 for a $2 ticket and the trifecta came back $7,296.30.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.76.

Tyler Pizarro rode Acting Naughty for trainer Don MacRae, who claimed her on behalf of owner John Hillier for $40,000 last year.

“She was on her game today,” said Pizarro. “I know her very well, from working her in the mornings and riding her last year. I had full confidence in her. I can’t believe she was 14-1.”