Woodbine: Dominion Day next logical spot for Hunters Bay

Hunters Bay was making his stakes debut against some salty opposition here in last Saturday’s Grade 2, $156,300 Eclipse Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

But the lightly raced 5-year-old Hunters Bay made short work of his 10 rivals and didn’t fool the playing customers as he was sent off as the 7-5 choice under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

“He’s a wonderful horse to be around,” said Reade Baker, who conditions the homebred Hunters Bay for Stronach Stable. “You can do anything you want with him. She just had to step on the gas, and away he went.”

Baker said he believes the next logical spot for Hunters Bay would be the July 1 Dominion Day Stakes, a 1/4-mile race for 3-year-old and upward which offers Grade 3 status and a purse of $200,000.

“After that, you’d probably have to look afield,” said Baker.

Colleen’s Sailor may be Queen’s Plate prospect

Trainer Roger Attfield didn’t believe that he had a Queen’s Plate horse earlier this spring but that situation may well have changed after Colleen’s Sailor was a game winner of a 1 1/8-mile, first-level allowance for 3-year-olds here Sunday.

Corey Nakatani, in town to ride beaten favorite Mutual Trust for trainer Bill Mott in the Connaught Cup, urged Colleen’s Sailor to a head win over Patrioticandproud, the lone American-bred in the field.

Canadian-breds Canadian Navy, Aldous Snow, and Macho Whiskey completed the order of finish with all three beaten just more than a length.

“It showed that he’s a very game horse,” said Attfield, who had taken over as Colleen’s Sailor’s trainer in March. “He was bumped around a little bit but he became even more determined. “That’s a good sign.”

Colleen’s Sailor was making his second start of the season after finishing third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by a pair of older rivals, in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles here May 12.