Woodbine: Ontario Damsel tops stakes tripleheader next weekend

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Three stakes will be run here next weekend, with the $150,000 Ontario Damsel and $125,000 Passing Mood set for Saturday and the $125,000 Shady Well going Sunday.

Dance Again, fifth in the June 9 Woodbine Oaks for trainer Malcolm Pierce, heads the prospective field for the Ontario Damsel, a one-mile turf race for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The Ontario Damsel was run over 6 1/2 furlongs of turf until 2010, when it was switched to its current distance to serve as a prep for the Wonder Where Stakes.

The Wonder Where, a $250,000 turf race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, will be run over 1 1/4 miles here Aug. 4.

Bob Tiller trains six of the 24 nominees for the Passing Mood and should have several starters in the seven-furlong turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.

Lexie Lou, a first-out winner for trainer John Ross, is headed for the Shady Well, which is a 5 1/2-furlong race for Ontario-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Others expected for the Shady Well include Executive Class, who is a half-sister to Queen’s Plate entrant Rackman.

Wednesday racing resumes

Racing will resume here Wednesday evening after Woodbine took last Wednesday off, which will be the custom this year following holiday Mondays. First post will be 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday night also will mark the monthly meeting of the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the third floor Champions area.

The first Wednesday night stakes race of the season will be run here July 17 with the Grade 3, 6 1/2-furlong Bold Venture offering a purse of $125,000.

Essence Hit Man, Canada’s champion sprinter two years running, is cutting back in distance after being upset by Laugh Track in the seven-furlong Vigil. He heads what is expected to be a short field.

Laugh Track will not be returning for the Bold Venture.

“I’m not going to run him,” said trainer Mark Casse. “He bruised his hind foot and missed a bit of time.”

Three of the 17 nominees ran south of the border on July 4 and six are entered in Sunday’s Grade 2 Highlander at six furlongs on the turf course.