History Lesson: The Whimsical Stakes was inaugurated into Canadian thoroughbred horse racing in 1956. Originally run at Greenwood, in Toronto, the stakes race had also been run at Fort Erie and currently at Woodbine Racetrack since 1986. The Whimsical has also seen it's share of different distances and surfaces ranging from six furlongs to a mile on the dirt, the turf in 1967, and currently on Woodbine's polytrack. Longtime Woodbine trainer Tony Mattine shares the record for most wins by a trainer with four; his outstanding mare Prospective Dolly winning three times ('91, '93, '94) also a record, though shared with none. The other two trainers sharing the record are the renowned Jerry C. Meyer and Yonnie Starr. The late Dave Penna holds the record for wins by a jockey with six with the next in line at four (current rider David Clark). The 2008 edition of the Whimsical saw the new current six furlong record time of 1:09.71 by the Nick Gonzalez trainee My List, ridden by Eurico Rosa Da Silva.
Whimsical Stakes Gr.III '09: This year's Whimsical promises to be a thriller of a race for the $150,000 purse, which will include some of Woodbine's hometown favorites and a very sharp looking individual shipping in from the U.S.A. . Here's a look at the field by the slotted post positions:
1 Arden Belle by Dance Brightly out of Bow Bells Reef(Virgina Rapids) Own: Salt and Pepper Stable, Trainer: Robert Gerl, Jockey: Emile Ramsammy
2 Smart Surprise by Smart Strike out of Weekend Storm(Storm Bird) Own: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings Inc, Trainer: Josie Carroll, Jockey: David Clark
3 Proud Heiress by Broken Vow out of Raise a Carter(Dr. Carter) Own: Michael Cavey, Trainer: Wayne D. Mogge, Jockey: Robert Landry
4 Hello Maggie May by Lemon Drop Kid out of Fantasy Lake(Salt Lake) Own: Windahaven, Trainer: Roger Attfield, Jockey: Jono Jones
5 Dancing Allstar by Millennium Allstar out of High On Believen(Honor Grades) Own: Bahadur Cheema, Trainer: Terry Jordan, Jockey: Jim McAleney
6 London Snow by Trajectory out of Muriel(Bold Executive) Own: Kirk Bradden Stables Inc, Trainer: John Charalambous, Jockey: Steve Bahen
7 Mimi Cooper by R.Cooper out of Bella Stellina(Pass the Line) Own: Geoff Roy, Trainer: Wray I. Lawrence, Jockey: Justin Stein
8 Verdana Bold by Rahy out of True Legacy(GB)(A.P. Indy) Own: Edward A. Seltzer, Trainer: Daniel J. Vella, Jockey: Tyler Pizarro
The Skinny: This race is full of class and speed, whether coming from the break, or closing down the stretch. The Terry Jordan mare, Dancing Allstar, will likely go to the front out of the gate, as she is loaded with speed, being a very natural sprinter. She has had success at Woodbine with earnings over $100,000 including a win in the '07 edition of the My Dear Stakes. She only had one visit to Woodbine last year and it proved to be very tough for her, as she did not fare well finishing seventh in the Duchess Stakes, six and a half lengths back of the winner. She hasn't run since August, 2008.
Another mare with a long layoff (Aug. '08) is Danny Vella's Verdana Bold. She has plenty of stakes experience including back-to-back wins in last spring's Star Shoot Stakes and the Selene Stakes (Gr.III). She will break from the outside post, in the eight hole, but that shouldn't bother her, as she will have early speed to get her into position amongst the leaders. Her Beyers are consistent, but they are not necessarily as good as the rest of the field.
Long layoffs do not always mean a horse needs a race to get back to form, as the Wray Lawrence student Mimi Cooper has proven already this season. The four-year-old has come out winning in her first start this year amongst allowance company on opening day at Woodbine, posting an eighty Beyer figure. It was only two weeks ago though and the group of horses this time around are much tougher. Anyone who has seen her race knows she has a lot of grit and will likely rally down the stretch trying to pass her foes. Her last and first stakes race was in the '08 season trying the Ontario Colleen, where she stretched out to a mile, only to falter late finishing fourth.
There are two winter raced mares in the Whimsical this year. Josie Carroll's Smart Surprise, and the ship-in trained by Wayne Mogge, Proud Heiress. Smart Surprise will be anything but a surprise if she wins this race. She has posted very good Beyer figures since coming into Carroll's care. Two starts ago she ran a 107 Beyer winning easily at Fairgrounds in the Chou Croute Handicap by six and a quarter lengths and she has won three out of her four races at Woodbine. She should be the one to beat, especially with David Clark aboard, vying for his fifth Whimsical victory. The daughter of Smart Strike has only missed the board once in sixteen lifetime starts, that being this past March in the Azeri Stakes Gr.III, at Oaklawn Park, when she finished fifth.
Proud Heiress has been very good at the start of her '09 campaign as well. The Mogge trainee has posted mid-ranged eighties Beyer figures and has plenty of synthetic track experience. The distance here will fit her running style just fine, as she will probably let the pack get just ahead of her, saving herself for a late stretch run. Ship-ins have not been overly dominant at Woodbine in the past, but, Proud Heiress should see some action on the tote board.
The Windhaven home-bred, Hello Maggie May, will give a third lifetime stakes try. She scored last season at Woodbine in the Ruling Angel, going six and a half furlongs, where she posted a very nice 88 Beyer for Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield. A possible concern here is that the filly's rider, Jono Jones, has not been riding yet this year, and may not be here this weekend. Jones is tip top when it comes to stakes competition and if anyone is going to bring Maggie home for the win, it'll be him.
John Charalambous is sending out a very classy individual and Woodbine fave in London Snow. The six-year-old mare has career earnings of over 450k and has been a star for the outfit for many seasons. Late last year London Snow appeared to be slowing down as she finished, uncharacteristically, out of the money in three straight races where she posted poor Beyers in two of the three. Her last race of the season in '08 was against rivals Smart Surprise and Arden Belle, where she finished tenth of ten and posted a 58 Beyer. Charalambous will certainly like to see her come back to form here.
And at last, Arden Belle. A very well rounded mare with earnings surpassing $500,000, this mare is always in for a good old-fashioned tear down the racecourse. The daughter of Dance Brightly has posted consistent Beyer figures in the eighties for all but one race of her '08 campaign. She will definitely be a fan favorite here as she knows the Woodbine oval very well and can handle the short distances as well as the longer classics. She will be ridden by Emile Ramsammy who would love to get another win in the Whimsical, as he hasn't hit the winner's circle for this race since '95. Arden Belle and trainer Robert Gerl are certainly looking forward to the rematch with rival Smart Surprise, who would beat them in the Bessarabian by four and a half lengths in '08.
My Picks: 2-1-7
Please feel free to leave your comments and picks for the 54th running of the Whimsical Stakes Gr.III.
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