Woodbine notes: Gia Scala eyes South Ocean Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gia Scala, a maiden winner at seven furlongs in her second career start for trainer Ralph Biamonte, is scheduled to make her stakes debut in the $125,000 South Ocean here Nov. 24.

Owned by the Beclawat Stable of Les Pereira, Gia Scala had finished an encouraging fourth in her six-furlong debut here Oct. 12 before stalking the pace en route to a neck victory under jockey Patrick Husbands on Oct. 27.

“I didn’t expect that,” Biamonte said. “She’s a little temperamental, and she was giving us a hard time at the beginning. I’ve had [exercise rider] Darren Fortune getting on her, and he did a wonderful job with her, settling her down.”

The South Ocean, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies, attracted 20 nominees, headed by Paladin Bay and Lexie Lou, who ran first and second last out in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.

“It will be a tough little race,” Biamonte said.

Autumn contenders stretch legs

The Autumn Stakes, slated for last Sunday but shelved when the card was canceled after one race due to high winds, has been rescheduled for Friday. The race will not be redrawn, and the field of 10 will remain intact, pending any defections.

Alpha Bettor and Ultimate Destiny, who are among the top contenders in the Autumn, breezed four furlongs here Monday, with the former going in 50.40 seconds and the latter in 49.40.