Woodbine notes: Colonial Flag represents Matz well in Ontario Colleen

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Michael Matz has a surfeit of talented 3-year-old turf fillies and had nominated Assateague, Colonial Flag, Somali Lemonade, and Welcome Dance to last Saturday’s $161,300 Ontario Colleen Stakes. Only Colonial Flag ran, proving one length the best under Joe Rocco Jr. in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen over one mile of the E.P. Taylor course.

Colonial Flag, based at Maryland’s Fair Hill training center, finished last of eighth at Betfair Hollywood Park in the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles in her race before the Colleen.

“I’d taken her out to California, but she just didn’t like the grass there,” said Matz. “I felt it might be the hard turf and the tight turns. I felt that the turf at Woodbine and the course with the big turn would suit her better.”

Matz said he’s trying to keep his 3-year-old grass filies apart.

Welcome Miss finished second in the Aug. 18 Dauphin Miss over one mile of soft going at Penn National. Somali Lemonade ended third in the following day’s Grade 2 Lake Placid at 1 1/8 miles on the grass at Saratoga. Assateague is scheduled to run in Friday’s $100,000 Riskaverse, a one-mile turf stakes at Saratoga.

Colonial Flag was the second Woodbine stakes winner for Matz, who sent out Princess Haya to win the Grade 2 Canadian in 2009.

Matz also send out Street Sounds to get the top prize through the disqualification of Sealy Hill in the 2007 Bison City, but that decision later was reversed by the Ontario Racing Commission.

Prepping for out-of-town engagements

Several horses worked on the training turf course here Sunday with an eye toward out-of-town turf stakes over the Labor Day weekend.

Excaper, trained by Ian Black, breezed five furlongs in 59.40 and is on target for Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Saranac, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds at Saratoga. Regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson was aboard for the drill and has the call for the Saranac.

Essence Hit Man, conditioned by Audre Cappuccitti, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 with his regular rider, Jesse Campbell, in the irons. Campbell has the call on Essence Hit Man for Monday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Turf Monster, a five-furlong dash in Philadelphia which is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.
Jenny’s So Great, trained by Greg De Gannes, is slated to compete in the $150,000 Amazon, a five-furlong race for fillies and mares on the same card, with Campbell doing the honors.

Kissable and Ima Soul Miss breezed six furlongs in company in 1:17.20 and are earmarked for Monday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Glens Falls, a 1 3/8-mile race for fillies and mares at Saratoga.

◗ Jockey David Moran will serve a one-day suspension on Friday and has been fined $300 after the stewards ruled he struck his mount, Nancy O, more than three times in succession during the stretch run of last Saturday’s third race. Nancy O finished second, beaten a half-length.