Woodbine: Original Script gets setup, runs with it

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The June 9 Woodbine Oaks was the first leg of the triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, a series that continued with the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes here last Sunday and will conclude with the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on the turf here Aug. 4.

But trainer Paul Attard certainly wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth after Original Script, who had finished third behind Nipissing and Spring in the Air in the Woodbine Oaks, suddenly became the filly to beat in the Bison City after the Oaks 1-2 opted for the Queen’s Plate.

“I was licking my chops when I heard they were both going to the Plate,” said Attard, who trains the homebred Original Script for the Chiefswood Stable of Robert and Mark Krembil.

As it transpired, Original Script’s path to the Bison City was complicated by the fact that her barn was placed under quarantine because of five positive tests for the equine herpesvirus, which led to the euthanization of one 2-year-old.

Original Script was allowed to return to training last Wednesday, however, and showed no signs of rustiness when she led throughout to became a stakes winner in the $250,000 Bison City under regular rider Jesse Campbell.

“I thought she ran a great race,” said Attard, who had been confident that Original Script would be fit enough after wintering in Florida and running a solid 1 1/8 miles in the Woodbine Oaks.

“She never really missed a work,” added Attard, who had sent out Original Script to breeze four furlongs in 48.20 seconds last Tuesday. “I would only have worked her once, anyway.”

Original Script has not raced on turf, but Attard plans to try the filly in the Wonder Where.

“Going a mile and a quarter, she should get a slow pace,” Attard said. “It’s hard to miss these races. After this, there are no races for Canadian-breds.”

In the meantime, Original Script has earned $372,080 via a record of 4-1-1 from 7 starts, and her Bison City effort yielded a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 86, a one-point improvement over the Woodbine Oaks.