TORONTO, June 11—Holy Helena, coming off an impressive maiden victory at Belmont on May 12, rallied from just off the pace for a going-away one-length victory in Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser.
Trained by Jimmy Jerkens for Stronach Stable, Holy Helena had jockey Luis Contreras in the irons for the first time under racing conditions.
Contreras had become acquainted with Holy Helena when he breezed the filly on the Tapeta surface here June 6.
“I got a nice trip,” said Contreras, following Sunday’s successful partnership with Holy Helena in the 1 1/8 mile Woodbine Oaks. “The filly helped me a lot the whole way. I was nice, and comfortable, sitting outside and then she gave me everything."
Mythical Mission, a homebred racing for Sam-Son Farm and trainer Malcolm Pierce, also came from just off the front-runners and had assumed the lead at the eighth pole before failing to match the winner’s kick.
“It was a huge effort,” said Pierce. “She couldn’t have done anything better but win.
“She ran her eyeballs out today,” continued Pierce. “We just got outrun the last few jumps. No excuses. We ran our race.”
Inflexibility, invading from Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown, was sent off as the 5-2 favorite under Joel Rosario but failed to muster a sufficient rally after racing on the inside and settled for a third-place finish, six lengths behind the runner-up.
“The trip was good,” said Rosario. “She broke well and was up a little close but she wanted to be there. It was fine, and she was comfortable, but it felt like it took her a little bit of time to find the new surface. She’s a very nice filly.”
Enstone, who had stalked the pace four wide before moving to take over from front-running Stallion Heiress running into the far turn, gave way in the drive to finish fourth, just a head behind Inflexibility as the 7-2 second choice.
Stallion Heiress was timed in :23.60 for the opening quarter and :47.03 for the half-mile while pressed by Miss Adele.
Enstone was in front through six furlongs in 1:12.18 before Mythical Mission and Holy Helena moved in tandem from mid-pack and took control of the race in mid-stretch.
Mythical Mission reached the mile marker in 1:37.18. The final time was 1:50.18.
Completing the order of finish were Cindervella, Ellan Vannin, Financial Recovery, Gertie T, Ghostly Presence, Inspired Vow, Stallion Heiress and Miss Adele.
Financial Recovery was the 5-1 third choice under Mike Smith, who had conducted an autograph session here earlier Sunday afternoon and was coming off a spectacular five-stakes win day at Belmont Park.
Holy Helena returned $14.00, $7.10 and $4.90 after being led into the stakes winner’s circle by owner Frank Stronach.
“She has beautiful breeding,” said Stronach. “The bottom side, it’s a great family.”
Holy Helena is a daughter of Ghostzapper out of the Holy Bull mare, Holy Grace.
The 5-10 exactor with Mythical Mission ($8.00, $4.60) paid $102.40 while the 5-10-2 trifecta completed by Inflexibility ($3.60) came back at $525.60. The $1 superfecta of 5-10-2-9 paid $870.55.
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Guy Caballero pulls 20-1 shocker in Plate Trial
TORONTO, June 11—Guy Caballero (
pictured, Mike Burns photo), a 20-1 longshot, rallied from last place in the field of six to score by a half-length in Sunday’s $125,000 Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine.
Ridden by Rafael Hernandez and trained by Catherine Day Phillips for owner-breeder Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, Guy Caballero recorded his first stakes win in the 1 1/8 mile Plate Trial, which is a major stepping-stone to the 1 ¼ mile Queen’s Plate on July 2.
“I got a good trip,” said Hernandez. “That’s what Catherine and I were talking about; just get a good break and relax the horse—just put him clear in the turn, and make sure he got a clear trip and give it everything he had in the stretch. He sure showed up today.”
Finishing behind Guy Caballero were the Mark Casse-trained pair of King and His Court and State of Honor.
King and His Court had stalked the pace on the inside from fourth under regular rider Gary Boulanger and rallied up the rail to edge out State of Honor for second money by a neck.
“He looked like he was lumbering today,” said Casse. “Some days he comes with a big kick and today he was lumbering.”
State of Honor, who had been keeping company with the best 3-year-olds in the U.S. this year, was coming into the Plate Trial off a 19th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Sent off as the even-money favorite, State of Honor assumed his expected position on the front end and maintained a short lead through steady fractions of :24.01, :48.66 and 1:12.55.
Holding on through a mile in 1:37.89, State of Honor just failed to stay out the final furlong under jockey Patrick Husbands.
“State of Honor ran big because he missed a little time after the Derby,” said Casse. “I told the Conrads (owner/breeders Manfred and Penny Conrad) that this race should help him. There’s still the question if he can go a mile and a quarter.”
Tiz a Slam, trained by Roger Attfield and sent off as the 5-2 second choice, was within striking range throughout but appeared to stall slightly around the final turn before finishing smartly to be beaten just 1 ¾-lengths in fourth.
The final time was 1:51.32.
Guy Caballero made his second start of the season in the Plate Trial after finishing second in an allowance race in his seven-furlong opener.
“He was ready to run, but he certainly wasn’t at his best in his first race,” said Day Phillips. “He’d trained well since, and he had five weeks between his last race and this race.
“But he hadn’t run recently against this time of horses. I was confident that he’d run a good race but I wasn’t sure how he would stack up.”
Guy Caballero paid $42.60, $13.60 and $6.00 across the board and fronted a 5-2 exactor of $168.60 with King and His Court ($5.10, $3.10). State of Honor ($2.60) completed a 5-2-3 trifecta worth $756.90 and the 5-2-3-1 superfecta paid $838.35 for $1.
Courtesy of Woodbine Communications Office
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