History Lesson: The first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara was inaugurated into Canadian thoroughbred racing in 1956 at a distance of one mile and one-sixteenth and later lengthened to one mile and one-eighth in 1959. It was originally called the Canadian Oaks but was changed to the Woodbine Oaks in 2001. The race has many incredible records with eight wins by Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley, five wins by trainer Jim Day and seven wins by owners Sam-Son Farm. In 1982 Avowal would get away from her foes to win the contest by a margin of thirteen lengths, a record that still stands today. However, the fastest current time in the Oaks was set by Square Angel in 1973 in a time of 1:48 4/5.
Woodbine Oaks Stakes, 2009: What a nice big field of fillies we have here. With fourteen runners going out in the 56th edition of the Canadian Classic, there is a good mix of elite runners and well-bred maidens that may be peaking a the right time. We can expect an overload of excitement watching the likes of Tasty Temptation, Milwaukee Appeal, Gore Bay, and ship-ins Wynning Ride, Academicienne, and Miss Blakely all vie for the $500,000 purse.
Here is a look at the field by post position:
1 Indigo North by Grand Slam out of Turned On (Kris S.) Own: Chiefswood Stables, Trainer: Eric Coatrieaux, Jockey: Tyler Pizarro
2 Politelyprecocious by Langfuhr out of Stop Looking (Dr. Adagio) Own: Gustav Schickendanz, Trainer: Michael Keogh, Jockey: Constant Montpellier
3 Secret Wish by Street Cry (Ire) out of Awesome Lass (Awesome Again) Own: Cudney Stables, Trainer: James Day, Jockey: Justin Stein
4 Milwaukee Appeal by Milwaukee Brew out of Appealing Forum (Open Forum) Own: C.E.C. Farms, Trainer: Scott Fairlie, Jockey: Stewart Elliot
5 Soul of Nataka by Perfect Soul (Ire) out of Nataka (With Approval) Own: Charles E. Fipke, Trainer: Roger Attfield, Jockey: Richard Dos Ramos
6 First Circle by Langfuhr out of Marienburg (Conquistador Cielo) Own: Gustav Schickedanz, Trainer: Michael Keogh, Jockey: Jono Jones
7 Wynning Ride by Candy Ride (Arg) out of Wynyard (Mr. Greely) Own: Arnold Zetcher, Trainer: Bob Baffert, Jockey: Joseph Talamo
8 Koonunga Hill by Wonneberg out of Easy to Praise (Alwuhush) Own: Empress Stable, Trainer: Steve Owens, Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson
9 High Mist by Olmodavor out of High Humidity (Petionville) Own: N.C. Stables, Wendy Anderson, B. Weisbord, Trainer: Reade Baker, Jockey: James McAleney
10 Gore Bay by Dynaformer out of Eclipse Bay (Hennessy) Own: Chiefswood Stable, Trainer: Eric Coatrieaux, Jockey: Chantal Sutherland
11 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
12 Academicienne by Royal Academy out of Merida (GB) (Warning (GB)) Own: NYKY Thoroughbred Stable, Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin, Jockey: Alan Garcia
13 Tasty Temptation by Medaglia D'oro out of Parisia (Tethra) Own: Woodford Racing LLC, Trainer: Mark Casse, Jockey: Patrick Husbands
14 Miss Blakely by Smart Strike out of A Bit Special (GB) (Rahy) Own: Capitol Hill Thoroughbreds and Team Five Star Stable, Trainer: Joseph Oreseno, Jockey: Eibar Coa
The Skinny: With this many fillies in the field, anything can happen. Maidens have a shot just the same as some of the more prolific fillies in here. There will be lots of early movement for position and we should see a great race from start to finish as this group looks even better than that of the up coming Queen's Plate contenders. Get yourself a nice spot on the rail for this one. Lets analyze in order of the post positions.
Indigo North is a very well-bred filly and comes into the Oaks as a maiden. She has two career starts, both in '09 with each resulting in fourth place finishes against maiden allowance company, at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth in both races. She's a home-bred for the Chiefswood outfit and they would love nothing more than to see their girl peak just in time for this big event. She hasn't posted anything special going by the Beyers in either of her two starts and will look to improve. She should try to break her maiden elsewhere.
Politelyprecocious is one of two fillies sent out in this one by trainer Mike Keogh and Gus Schickedanz. She gets her fourth start off the shelf here and will look to improve off her last start in the La Lorgnette Stakes on May 17th, where she would finish over six lengths back of the winner in seventh. That race would be her first two-turn event of the '09 campaign and may have been a good conditioner for her. She has a lifetime record of 6-1-0-2 with earnings over 60k. The Keogh trainee has shown some closing speed in the late going in her first two starts this year and will likely get back to form in this one, looking to improve on her last two Beyers in the low eighties. Like to see her in an easier spot.
Jim Day looks to add to his Oaks totals as he sends out his student Secret Wish. The daughter of Street Cry broke her maiden as a two-year-old against allowance company of non-winners of one, other than, doing so at a mile and a sixteenth. She has three starts in '09 with a third place finish in her last start in an allowance race on May 18th. She hasn't quite the Beyer figures (76 high) to match many of the fillies in here and appears to be in way over her head, but, anything can happen. Record of 6-1-0-2 and earnings of just over 55k for this longshot.
Milwaukee Appeal comes into the Oaks as a Woodbine fan favorite, as she has been very productive thus far in 2009. She would win the Star Shoot Stakes in her first start this year and finish third in the La Lorgnette behind Oaks foe Tasty Temptation and G1 winner Hooh Why, who eventually was victorious. In the La Lorgnette, Milwaukee Appeal would post her best lifetime Beyer with a 91 and will come into the Oaks for her third start of the season, which should see her very fit and ready to go. She has earned $296,511 and amassed a record of 8-4-1-2, she'll be a major player, though not sure of the jockey change to Elliot.
Roger Attfield sends out maiden Soul of Nataka. She comes into this one off a second place finish in a maiden allowance event, losing to Oaks foe Gore Bay. She appears to like two-turns but hasn't quite got the job done. One positive note is that she has thrown her best Beyer figure of 77 at this distance of a mile and an eighth. Not sure if Roger will be looking at his fourth Oaks win as Soul of Nataka will have to come up big just to pick up a cheque. Likely to see her get her first win in another spot.
First Circle is the second of two Keogh trainees and will go into this event for her first two-turn race. She broke her maiden in her first career start on May 8th over seven furlongs on the Woodbine poly. Her last start would be a second place effort to Alywow entry Gigolette. In both races First Circle would post Beyers in the mid-seventies and Keogh appears to really have her ready after an honest work over three-quarters of a mile in 1:14 4/5 on June 1st. This will be the first stakes contest for the Langfuhr filly who has a record of 2-1-1-0 and earnings just over 30k. Could be an expensive lesson for this girl, looking elsewhere.
Trainer Bob Baffert sends out a very interesting individual who has been racing in California since last season. Wynning Ride has earnings of $129,700 and a record of 4-1-2-0, which the only win comes against maidens, but she has a very game second place effort in the mile and a sixteenth, G1 Hollywood Starlet to a very tough competitor in Laragh. This is a good indication of what this filly brings to the table. In her first start of '09 Wynning Ride finished second again, posting an 83 Beyer in an optional-claiming event at Hollywood Park. She will have a very talented jock in Joe Talamo, who has ridden the filly in each of her four career starts. Have to have respect for Baffert's girl here, don't leave her out of the mix.
Koonunga Hill is a very gritty individual who gives her all every time out. She has a record of 9-2-3-2 and over 200k in earnings. However, the Empress Stables home-bred has not had a two-turn race in any of those starts. She has raced at a mile, as a two-year-old, over the E.P. Taylor turf course in the Grade III Natalma Stakes finishing third out by a length to the winner. The Oaks will be her third start off the shelf in '09 and if she scoped well out of her last start, she could be tough. The distance may be questionable, but she is a very determined filly and she won't quite. Just watching.
High Mist is a gamer and a very surprisingly, tough filly at such a small stature. She has amassed earnings of $179,503 and has three wins in six career starts. Her downside is that she hasn't fared well at two-turns. In her only race going long, High Mist would finish eighteen lengths out in her last contest of the '08 season, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. She was very good in her last start, the Fury Stakes, chasing down after the winner to the wire just a couple lengths off finishing second. Baker seems confident enough with a choice of going into the Alywow, earlier in the card and at a shorter distance. She worked a decent 1:01. 4/5 over five furlongs on May 31st and should be quite sharp with over a month since her last start. Outside chance.
Chiefswood Stable's second entry into the Oaks is Gore Bay. The daughter of Dynaformer has three starts in her career, all in '09, and has just broke her maiden in her last start on May 13th in a mile and a sixteenth maiden allowance. She is not the first choice of the outfit, but has proven to be the first to peak with that win. If she gets the right look she could certainly rally off the pace to get up for the win. She's an outsider, but she may have peaked at the right time. Sutherland aboard is encouraging, like her chances.
Double Malt comes into the Oaks after a fifth place finish in the mile and one-sixteenth La Lorgnette stakes. She would have a late rally there to pick up a cheque and may like the extra distance here. She has an 8-2-0-2 record with career earnings of just under 120k. The Pierce outfit is having a great season and this could be the perfect time for Double Malt to exact revenge on rivals Tasty Temptation and Milwaukee Appeal from the La Lorgnette. She posted her best Beyer on that day with an impressive 86. Watch for her to come from way out of it.
Kiaran McLaughlin has taken over training duties for the Canadian-bred, french ship-in Academicienne. The daughter of Royal Academy has raced five career races, all on the turf and has accrued three wins and $51,833 in the bank. She has posted decent speed figures in France with an 85 in her last start, but she has never raced over a mile before. Alan Garcia is up and that can be looked upon as a positive for this horse, as he has won here once already this season with another ship-in, Rutherienne. Other than that, this may be a long trip to find out that she doesn't like the Woodbine poly.
Tasty Temptation will be a very tough competitor in the Oaks. The Casse trainee is coming off a very game second place effort in the La Lorgnette Stakes just running out of room to Grade I Ashland Stakes winner Hooh Why. She would post a 94 Beyer that day, besting her previous high of 79. She will love the extra distance of the Oaks and has Woodbine's top jock Patrick Husbands up. Casse will look to capture his third Oaks in four years, so he knows what it takes and is very 'high' on this filly. She has a record of 7-1-2-1 and earnings of just over 80k and appears to be peaking just in time for the Canadian Classic. She should take a lot of money at the windows, DO NOT LEAVE HER OUT!!!
Miss Blakely ships in from Gulfstream Park for conditioner Joe Orseno. She has three lifetime wins and just over 60k in her account. This will be her fifth start of the season after posting a very credible 88 Beyer in her last event in the Boynton Beach Stakes at Gulfstream. Miss Blakely is a turfer and has never raced over polytrack, which should be noted as a con. She will have veteran rider Eibar Coa aboard, that's a pro. She could be an outside chance on this day, but looking elsewhere.
My Picks: 13-7-10
Please feel free to leave your comments and picks for the 54th running of the Woodbine Oaks Stakes.
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