Woodbine: Windward Islands repeats the feat in Nijinsky

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Windward Islands won the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes for the second year in a row at Woodbine on Sunday.

The favored Fifty Proof set a tepid pace in the nine-furlong turf event, which was run over a course labeled yielding. Hailstone stalked in second, and Windward Islands raced in third on the turn under Emma Wilson, who won four races on the card.

Windward Islands ($9.70) began to make up ground early in the stretch, and then edged by Fifty Proof at the eighth pole before scoring by three-quarters of a length, in a time of 1:49.82. Fifty Proof held off Hailstone to finish second in the six-horse field.

Windward Islands, trained by Mark Frostad for Sam-Son Farm, collected $180,000 of the $312,600 purse.

“My break was a little rough,” said Wilson. “Fifty Proof broke into me, and he’s not a little horse. He banged me pretty good, but my guy got his feet together and gained his composure. He got into gear and into a nice spot. When we turned for home, I had a nice angled-out position, and he powered home.”

Embur’s Song scores as Ontario Matron favorite

Embur’s Song ($4.70) led throughout Sunday’s supporting feature, the Grade 3, $183,000 Ontario Matron Stakes.

With Patrick Husbands aboard, Embur’s Song set quick fractions of :23.59 and 47.63 in the 1 1/16-mile route for females, en route to a three-quarter-length tally.

“I took a little hold on the first turn, and she relaxed from there,” said Husbands. “She was traveling easy. She was on her game today.”

Biofuel, Canada’s reigning Horse of the Year, rallied into second on the outside in the stretch, but was overtaken late by a closing Ariana D, who beat her by three-quarters of a length for second in the seven-horse field.

Embur’s Song covered the distance in 1:43.39, and earned $120,000 for Fares Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher.