Sunday April 19th, 2009 - The Star Shoot Stakes, for Three-Year-Old Fillies, Six Furlongs

History Lesson: The Star Shoot Stakes was inaugurated into Canadian thoroughbred racing back in 1956 at Greenwood Raceway, downtown Toronto. The stakes race would later see some time at Fort Erie from 1967 to 1975 and then move locations, once again, to its present home Woodbine Racetrack in 1976. The race has always been a sprint, ranging from distances of 6 furlongs to 7 furlongs, run on the dirt up until Woodbine switched over to the synthetic polytrack in 2006. E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm holds the record for most wins by an owner with five ('58, '60, '61, '66, '69), which would give his trainer, Gordon McCann a record of the same amount of wins, while Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley has the most wins by a rider with five, his last coming in 1996 aboard Highland Vixen. In 1991, Dance Smartly would win the Star Shoot and eventually become the Canadian Triple Crown Winner beating the boys in the Canadian Classics. The fastest, current time for the race was run back in 1972 by Happy Victory in 1:10.00. In 2008, the winner was Verdana Bold, who won with Emile Ramsammy up and ironically will be running on the same weekend on Saturday April 18th, 2009 in the Whimsical Stakes Gr.III.

The Star Shoot Stakes '09: With a small, but talented field of six fillies, this season's Star Shoot promises to be a challenging speed duel with all six horses having a good shot at winning, being no real clear cut favorite. Here's a look at this year's field by post position:

1 Campfire Girl by Forest Camp out of Leah's Gold(Slew o' Gold) Own: Equilease Racing Stable and Allan Sch, Trainer: John Charalambous, Jockey: Gerry Olguin

2 Double Malt by Whiskey Wisdom out of Matching Sox(Tale of the Cat) Own: M Ambler and Partners, Trainer: Malcolm Pierce, Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva

3 Deeveetee by Doneraile Court out of Diamonds to Me(Belong to Me) Own: Ryan S Afonso, Trainer: Mark Casse, Jockey: Patrick Husbands

4 Koonunga Hill by Wonneberg out of Easy to Praise(Alwuhush) Own: Empress Stables, Trainer: Steve Owens, Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson

5 Sans Sousi by Bold Executive out of Ada Dancer(Dance Brightly) Own: Eaton Hall Farm and M J Doyle Racing, Trainer: Michael J Doyle, Jockey: Jono Jones

6 Milwaukee Appeal by Milwaukee Brew out of Appealing Forum(Open Forum) Own:C E C Farms, Trainer: Scott Fairlie, Jockey: Na Samsonith

The Skinny: This is a very good field of sophomore fillies and as mentioned earlier, it is up for grabs, for any of the six to win the Star Shoot. As horse racing fans know, there will have to be a favorite on the tote board and judging the field by the numbers and connections, Deeveetee should go off, at post time, as the one to beat. Deeveetee has been winter raced at Santa Anita on the west coast in California and she did manufacture a win in an optional claiming event, scoring a very nice Beyer of 82. She has two life time wins for Woodbine's leading trainer of 2008, Mark Casse, and is a very consistent runner who looks to have matured since her last Woodbine start. With Patrick Husbands aboard you can bet she will get a good ride from start to finish. She will want to prove herself against an old foe in Sans Sousi.

Sans Sousi will also be looking to take down some of her 2008 rivals at Woodbine, such as Koonunga Hill, Double Malt and Milwaukee Appeal. Sans Sousi has already had a taste of the oval this spring in the La Voyageuse, an overnight stakes held on Woodbine's opening day. The Mike Doyle trainee will look to improve on her place finish in that race, posting a 67 Beyer speed figure, and try to score her first stakes victory. She has finished second in four of six stakes races lifetime and has earned just over 140k in her career. Jono Jones is listed as Sans Sousi's rider, but, we have not seen Jones in action yet this season, so don't be surprised if Chantal Sutherland gets the call again. It definitely won't hurt her chances.

Malcolm Pierce will send out a dandy of a filly in Double Malt, who certainly showed improvement late in the season at Woodbine in 2008. Double Malt scored back-to-back wins, first in a Maiden Special Weight contest and then going two turns in the South Ocean Stakes, taking both races by open lengths. She too will be looking to improve off her start in the La Voyageuse on April 4th, where she lacked finish and posted a 62 Beyer. Pierce had the daughter of Whiskey Wisdom training down south at the Fairgrounds in Louisiana all winter so she should be ready and should like getting an extra furlong in the Star Shoot.

Milwaukee Appeal is exactly that... appealing. She should gain interest on the tote board after a very good 2008 campaign. The Scott Fairlie filly picked up three wins last season, including the Ontario Lassie Stakes in November. She has earnings just under $180,000 lifetime and has hit the board in five of six races, the one she missed on was a turf contest where she was never in contention and Star Shoot rival Koonunga Hill finished third there. She has never posted a Beyer higher than 69 and appeared to like to go longer at the end of the '08 season, though she has won at the distance of six furlongs. Milwaukee Appeal is one of Fairlie's bright three-year-old stars, the other being the very impressive Cawaja Beach.

Steve Owens will be sending out a very gifted and gritty filly in Koonunga Hill. She is a star in the making. She is much stronger this season than last and is proving to be a monster, outworking an established older horse and stablemate, Head Chopper, on April 4th going six furlongs. She had a score in the Ice Water Stakes last August and will certainly love the challenge of rival Sans Sousi who would beat her last season in the Shady Well only to be disqualified, placing Koonunga Hill into third. She should also benefit from not seeing her arch nemesis Cawaja Beach, the Fairlie trainee who would beat her time and again last season, though the rematch will hopefully be played out later this season. Koonunga Hill is a very consistent runner having a high Beyer of 77 and she has lifetime earnings over 170k.

Finally, John Charalambous will be bringing back the lightly raced filly Campfire Girl. This daughter of Forest Camp had only seen the oval four times last year but was very diligent and showed how good she is at Pimlico, where she finished third in a stakes event, against very tough company. The Star Shoot shall prove to be just as tough as Campfire Girl has never faced these fillies though her Beyer speed figures, at this distance, suggest that she will be just as vigorous as the rest. With one win in four tries and earnings of just under $50,000 she will be looking to add to her totals here.

My Picks: 4-3-6

Please feel free to post your comments and picks for the 54th running of the Star Shoot Stakes.