Woodbine: Smartyfly wins Wonder Where Stakes; Nipissing put down

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Smartyfly ($13.40) led virtually all the way in Sunday’s $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, which was marred by the fatal breakdown of Woodbine Oaks winner Nipissing.

Smartyfly was hounded by the favored Spring in the Air throughout the 1 1/4-mile turf route while setting moderate fractions of 25.90 seconds, 50, and 1:14.07 over firm ground. Spring in the Air drew alongside her in the stretch, but Smartyfly repelled her bid in the final furlong and draw clear to score by three lengths in 2:03.27.

Surtsey rallied from fourth to finish a neck behind Spring in the Air in third in the eight-horse field.

Nipissing was pulled up early on the far turn by Steve Bahen. She suffered a hind leg injury and was euthanized after being vanned back to her barn.

Eurico Rosa da Silva, who rode Smartyfly, said he discussed the lack of speed in the race with trainer Malcolm Pierce, and they decided to go for the lead if nobody else wanted it.

“She was very happy where she was and ran a great race,” da Silva said.

Pierce said Smartyfly’s only other turf race, in allowance company at Keeneland, was a throw-out.

“I think this filly loves the grass,” Pierce said. “She might have found a home here on the turf.”

The Wonder Where was the final leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, a series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. Smartyfly also competed in the other two Tiara races, finishing fourth in the Woodbine Oaks and second in the Bison City Stakes. In the Wonder Where, she earned $150,000 for her first stakes victory for Sam-Son Farm.