Woodbine notes: Baker's Bears steal show in Coronation Futurity

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Reade Baker swept both weekend stakes at Woodbine, most notably Sunday’s $250,000 Coronation Futurity with his Bear Stable runners Asserting Bear and Man o’ Bear finishing first and third.

With journeyman Jim McAleney up, Asserting Bear notched his first stakes win in his first Polytrack start in the Coronation, a nine-furlong test for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds. Man o’ Bear rallied outside from fifth to finish 1 1/2 lengths back. The promising maiden Majestic Sunset split the two Bears after closing along the live rail.

Baker said he was surprised that Asserting Bear was able to beat his uncoupled stablemate. Both were around 8-1 in the wagering.

“Man o’ Bear has to be up closer,” Baker said. “He didn’t break as sharp down on the inside. Had he [drawn] outside, I think the decision would have been reversed.”

Baker said Man o’ Bear has been shelved for the year and is off to Florida. All being well, Asserting Bear will reappear in the $125,000 Kingarvie, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for Ontario-sired juveniles Dec. 7.

Asserting Bear is a son of Bear’s Kid, who won the 2005 Summer Stakes for his same connections. Bear’s Kid was recently moved to stand at stud at Colebrook Farm, northeast of Toronto.

The Coronation is thought to be a good barometer for the following year’s Queen’s Plate, but a Coronation winner hasn’t captured the Plate since Norcliffe in 1975-76. Up With the Birds, the 2012 Coronation winner, was a fast-closing second as the favorite in this year’s Plate.

Blinkers boost Coachella Valley

The Baker-conditioned Coachella Valley made a smooth transition from claiming to Ontario-bred stakes company with a 16-1 upset score in Saturday’s $150,000 Jammed Lovely. She was previously victorious over $16,000 maidens and $25,000 3-year-old fillies and has worn blinkers throughout her three-race win streak.

“We thought she was all right in the spring, and then she seemed to tail off,” Baker said. “I don’t know if it’s as simple as putting blinkers on, but when we put them on, it’s certainly been night and day. None of those horses in behind her are going to the hall of fame.”

Coachella Valley is eligible for starter allowances, but Baker said she will be put away for the year.

Alpha Bettor ends meet with bang

Alpha Bettor may have clinched the Sovereign Award for this year’s Canadian champion older male with a determined win in a deep field in the $155,800 Autumn last Friday. The Grade 3 stakes was postponed five days when the Nov. 10 card was canceled because of high winds.

Alpha Bettor kicked in powerfully in the final furlong to collar pacemaker Occasional View, who was stepping up off a $100,000 claim at Keeneland by trainer Ken McPeek.

“What an exciting race,” said Danny Vella, who trains Alpha Bettor for Bulldog Stable. “You can tell a good horse when they put their mind to it. He really wanted it at the end.”

Vella said Alpha Bettor will skip the closing-day 1 3/4-mile Valedictory Stakes and is on his way to Florida for some R and R.

“The season’s done here for him,” Vella said. “We’re going to turn him out for a month and then start him up. We might take him to Keeneland in the spring if everything’s good. There’s just a limited number of races for him here.”

Leigh Court gets a rest

Owner Eugene Melnyk recently sent this year’s probable Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Leigh Court to the farm and has sold the dual Canadian champion Roxy Gap.

The speedy Leigh Court won three consecutive stakes in the summer before finishing a front-running fourth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

“She had a really good campaign, finishing up with a good race in the Grade 1,” trainer Josie Carroll said. “Mr. Melnyk thought we should rest her up for next season. I thought she showed herself to be a pretty exceptional filly, winning on three surfaces – dirt, synthetic, and turf.”

Roxy Gap was purchased privately by Blue Heaven Farm. She has reportedly been retired and will be bred to champion sprinter Speightstown, who was campaigned by Melnyk.

Roxy Gap was the 2012 Canadian champion older female and champion female sprinter for trainer Mark Casse. She won 8 of 19 starts, including the Grade 2 Hendrie, for earnings of $963,253.