Woodbine Mohawk Park: Donna Soprano rebounds in Simcoe Stakes

Donna Soprano bounced back after breaking stride in her division of the Casual Breeze Stakes last week to win Friday night's C$160,260 Simcoe Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:53 3/5.

Lady Chaos (Jody Jamieson) sped to the lead from post nine in a 27 1/5 opening quarter, and then the action really began in the backstretch as pocket-sitter Imextraspecial (Trevor Henry) and Donna Soprano (Bob McClure), who had been sitting third, both vacated the pylons, with Imextraspecial advancing two-wide and Donna Soprano three-wide. Despite covering the extra ground, Donna Soprano was able to get to the point past the 56 1/5 half, with Imextraspecial settling back into the two-hole.

After taking control, Donna Soprano would go on to hit three-quarters in 1:25 1/5, with Amazone Duharas (Louis-Philippe Roy) marching towards her after going first-up from fourth after the half. Amazone Duharas continued to loom in the lane, but Donna Soprano dug in determinedly and fought her off to win by a length. Imextraspecial, who was the race favorite, had to settle for third.

Luc Blais trains Donna Soprano, a daughter of Donato Hanover, for owner Determination. This was her seventh win from 14 career starts, and she has now earned C$755,155. The White Birch Farm-bred paid $8.60 to win.

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McClure, Blais, and Determination also won a C$30,000 William Wellwood Memorial consolation for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on the program with Drinks At Home in 1:57 1/5. Drinks At Home, who left from post five, carved out fractions of 28 3/5, 59, and 1:28 3/5, and trotted a last quarter in 28 3/5 to beat Devereux Seelster (Henry) by 2 1/4 lengths. Delgado (Scott Young) was the third-place finisher.

Drinks At Home is a Royalty For Life-Peach Martini (Striking Sahbra) colt bred by Concord Stud Farm. The $47,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase has a record of 1-1-1 from six tries, has now put away C$52,683, and returned $6.20 to win.