The second feature race on Sunday June 7th at Woodbine had an exhilarating finish with Mike Keogh trainee Woodsmoke edging out a driving Pull Dancer at the wire to take the $100,000, six and a half furlong event over the E.P. Taylor turf course.
On a day threatened with rain by an overcast sky, Mike Keogh's fleet footed filly Woodsmoke would capture her third victory of the '09 campaign in the Alywow Stakes. It would be the filly's first try on the grass and resulted in an exciting finish as ship-in Pull Dancer, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, rallied and just missed at the wire for a win-photo result.
The break from the gate would see Essence of Silver on top, only to be short lived as Woodsmoke would use her early speed to get away from the field. The daughter of Langfuhr would set the fractions throughout the race, running the first quarter in :23.17 and taking a four length lead into the turn. Young journeyman Tyler Pizarro and Woodsmoke come out of the turn into the home stretch with what looked a comfortable lead. The E.P. Taylor turf course has a very long home stretch though and Woodsmoke would have the field chasing her down putting on some serious pressure. Woodsmoke was roughly five-wide off the rail leaving room for a rallying group of fillies including ship-in Pull Dancer, who came in between Fleet Streak and the fence to challenge Pizarro and the Fury Stakes winner. It would come right down to the wire, with a win photo going to Woodsmoke, who held on courageously in a final time of 1:15.44.
For full results to the 8th running of the Alywow Stakes click here: http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/WO060709CAN6.pdf
Man I love this filly. So what if she can't go long she's awesome. If anyone is keeping track, 4 for 4 on the picks, this time 7/2.
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