Woodbine: Dixie Strike favored against eight rivals in Oaks

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dixie Strike, an impressive winner of the Grade 3 Selene Stakes over 1 1/16 miles here May 13, has been made the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.

A field of nine was announced at the post-position draw here Thursday for the Woodbine Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Dixie Strike, who will be ridden by Patrick Husbands, is one of three Woodbine Oaks entrants conditioned by Mark Casse, along with Northern Passion and Black Bird Rock.

Both Dixie Strike and Northern Passion, who is the 5-2 second choice in Woodbine oddsmaker Ernie Perri’s morning line, are owned by John Oxley.

Northern Passion is coming off a convincing victory here in the seven-furlong Fury on April 29 while Black Bird Rock, a Eugene Melnyk homebred, won her maiden over 1 1/16 miles in her second and most recent career outing here April 28.

Regular rider Luis Contreras has the call on Northern Passion while Eurico Rosa da Silva picks up the mount on Black Bird Rock, who is listed as a 12-1 chance.

Dixie Strike will begin from post 6 while Northern Passion drew post 4 and Black Bird Rock will begin from the 5-hole.

Irish Mission, coming off a maiden win at Keeneland over 1 3/16 miles of turf, is the 6-1 third choice in Perri’s line. Alex Solis will ride Irish Mission, who is trained by Mark Frostad and owned by Robert S. Evans. She will start from post 8.

Rose and Shine, winner of the seven-furlong Muskoka and the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth here last year for trainer Ralph Biamonte and owner/co-breeder Jim Sabiston, is the fourth choice at 8-1.

Fifth in the Fury when making her second start of the season, Roses and Shine will have Omar Moreno in the irons and is to break from post 7.

Rounding out the field will be Awesome Fire, pegged at 12-1, and Horseshoe Hill and Bantee, the co-outsiders at 20-1.

Awesome Fire exits a fourth-place finish in the Fury and Emma-Jayne Wilson regains the mount for trainer Nick Gonzalez.

Horseshoe Hill is coming off a 1 1/16-maiden win here for trainer Mike Doyle and will be ridden by Justin Stein.

Bantee finished first only to be disqualified in her seasonal bow and will be traveling beyond six furlongs for the first time for trainer Reade Baker. Gerry Olguin has the mount.

Waitinginthewings, a homebred who races for John Brnjas and is trained by his daughter, Ashlee, was supplemented to the Woodbine Oaks at a cost of $12,500 and also is listed at 20-1.

Jesse Campbell has picked up the mount on Waitinginthewings, whose two starts yielded maiden and first-level allowance wins in Ontario-sired races at 1 1/16 miles.