Woodbine: Atlantic Hurricane captures Ontario Fashion for second time

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Atlantic Hurricane, last year’s Canadian champion female sprinter, won the $155,500 Ontario Fashion Stakes for the second year in a row at Woodbine on Sunday.

With Luis Contreras aboard, Atlantic Hurricane bided her time near the rear of the eight-horse field on the backstretch, as Mo Jo Queen set rapid fractions in the six-furlong dash.

Atlantic Hurricane loomed into contention on the turn, and then closed strongly in the stretch after being angled wide to prevail by a nose over 19-1 shot Youcan’tcatchme. The favored Roxy Gap rallied wide from sixth to edge out Mo Jo Queen for third.

Atlantic Hurricane had just 1 victory in 5 starts this year heading into the Ontario Fashion, much to the frustration of trainer and co-owner Stuart Simon.

“It’s been one of those years where one thing went wrong after another,” Simon said. “It was just nice to get things ironed out and together for today’s effort. Luis did everything perfect. It was just a real good trip.”

Sent off as the second choice, Atlantic Hurricane returned $8 and banked $90,000.