Cool Shadows finishes with a flourish in Princess Elizabeth

TORONTO, October 27, 2019 – Chiefswood Stables’ homebred Cool Shadows rallied impressively in taking the 74th edition of the $225,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine.

Trained by Stuart Simon, Cool Shadows, a two-year-old daughter of Munnings, made her added-money debut a winning one, and stamped herself as one to watch on the road to next year’s Woodbine Oaks, the country’s pre-eminent race for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies.

Sent off at 13-1 (the second longest shot on the tote board), Cool Shadows, under Jerome Lermyte, got away sixth of seven starters, while 2-5 choice Curlin’s Voyage, who was fractious in the gate, trailed the field early on.

It was She’s a Dream, one of three (Curlin’s Voyage and Avie’s Samurai were the other two) Josie Carroll trainees, who seized control of the 1 1/16-mile main track event. She took the field through an opening quarter-mile timed in :24.64 and a half in :49.77.

Lermyte and Cool Shadows were last after three-quarters run in 1:14.97, as She’s a Dream clung to a half-length lead over Take Charge Eh, with Merveilleux another head back.

Revving up on the far outside, and picking off her rivals one-by-one as the field straightened for home, Cool Shadows had advanced to third at Robert Geller’s stretch call and kept her momentum going in the late stages, getting up in the final strides to win by a neck. Merveilleux was second, a head in front of Avie’s Samurai. Curlin’s Voyage finished fourth. The final time was 1:45.45.

After taking to the turf in her first two starts, both sprints, Cool Shadows made the most of her first stakes engagement and first run over the Woodbine Tapeta.

“The way she ran before, we had an idea she would enjoy the distance,” offered Lermyte. “And she proved it today. She relaxed behind, and she gave a really nice finish – that’s what you need to win those races. I was very confident. I just knew I had to wait for the right time to make my move and I felt very confident. I think she is going to get better and better.”

Simon, in the midst of another impressive campaign, was pleased to see the dark bay go seamlessly from turf to Tapeta.

“She’s just been a really improving filly,” said the conditioner of the promising rookie who finished third in her debut on September 1, and then broke her maiden second time out on September 7. “She’s just done everything we’ve asked of her, whether it’s turf or sprint, or now long. She just seems to have the whole package.”

Both Simon and Chiefswood are no strangers to success in the Princess Elizabeth.

Last year, the owner and trainer watched as Bold Script took all the spoils. Chiefswood also won with Nipissing in 2012, and with Ghostly Presence four years later.

If all goes according to plan, Cool Shadows could have a date in next summer’s Woodbine Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile test on the Toronto oval’s main track, and first leg of the Triple Tiara series.

Six years ago, Nipissing delivered Chiefswood their lone Oaks crown.

“We’ll have a team meeting,” said Simon as to what’s next for the filly. “We usually make all these decisions together. Most likely, yes, she’ll go down south, and regroup. Hopefully, we’ll have her back in the spring and ready for the Oaks trail.”

Cool Shadows returned $29.70, $9.80 and $20.60, and topped a 6-7 exactor with Merveilleux ($8.40, $14.60) worth $236.30. The 6-7-3 triactor with Avie’s Samurai ($11.30) paid $1,412.50 and the 6-7-3-1 Superfecta completed by Curlin’s Voyage returned $2,205.75 for $1.