Woodbine: Acting Naughty set for Whimsical Stakes

Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Whimsical Stakes drew a field of nine that includes supplementary entrants Acting Naughty, Northern Passion, and Sisterly Love.

Acting Naughty, a 4-year-old filly owned by John Hillier and trained by Don MacRae, will be seeking her first stakes win in the six-furlong Whimsical.

Claimed for $40,000 from her fourth career start as a 2-year-old, Acting Naughty won two $32,000 claiming races plus a first-level allowance and later finished second, beaten a head, in the seven-furlong Jammed Lovely for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.

“She’s in good order right now,” said MacRae, who wintered Acting Naughty on his One More Time farm in Ontario and brought her back to the track in early March. “Her last two breezes have been very, very good.”

In her most recent workout last Sunday, Acting Naughty breezed five furlongs on the main track in 1:00.40, the fastest of 93 works at the distance.

“She galloped out real strong,” MacRae said. “I know she’s in tough, but I don’t mind the six furlongs. Every time she runs seven furlongs, there’s 1no pace to run at.”

It appears that Acting Naughty should have a contested pace to run at in the Whimsical, with the likes of Man Stuff and Silent Serenity in the lineup.

“Maybe she can pick up some of the pieces,” said MacRae, who will give regular rider Tyler Pizarro a leg up aboard Acting Naughty.