Top 3 Woodbine Weekend Highlights (August 31-September 1-2)

Piper’s Factor, with Sofia Vives in the irons, grabbed the lead in early stretch and held strong down the lane to win Saturday’s $125,000 Toronto Cup Stakes Presented by Crown Royal. It was the first stakes triumph for the Chiefswood Stables’ homebred trained by Katerina Vassilieva.

 

On Saturday, Lapochka showed that age is simply a state of mind. Under apprentice Pietro Moran, the 11-year-old son of English Channel won his 20th career race, in what was his 81st start. The chestnut gelding launched his career on June 17, 2016, at Woodbine, a second-place finish. One race later, on April 7, 2017, he broke his maiden at Laurel Park.

Leading rider, multiple graded stakes winner Sahin Civaci, went four-for-four on Sunday. He took the fourth race with Midnight Tempesta, the sixth with Peach Cobbler, the ninth with Myra’s Boy and the tenth with Bequia. One day earlier, Civaci had a first, second and third in three starts.

 

Jockey Keveh Nicholls won consecutive races on Saturday’s card, taking the sixth race with One More Brew and the seventh with Blind Spot. Apprentice rider Pietro Moran won Saturday’s first and second race, teaming with Lapochka to take top prize in the first, and then piloting Pennyjet to a 1 ¼-length score in the second race. It was a one-two ‘Holiday’ finish in the first race on Sunday. Morning Holiday took top spot, while stablemate Summer Holiday was second. A $2 exactor returned $26.70. Emma-Jayne Wilson gave herself a birthday present on Sunday when she rode Ask in My Name to victory in the second race. Slade Callaghan rode Maticulant to victory in Monday’s second race. The 3-year-old son of Speightster is trained and owned by Callaghan’s wife, Kelly.

On Tap

Live racing continues this weekend with a pair of stakes on tap. On Saturday, the $100,000 Niagara Stakes, at 1 ¼ miles on the E.P. Taylor turf, is in the spotlight. On Sunday, the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, final jewel in the Triple Tiara series, also at 1 ¼ miles on the E.P. Taylor, is the headliner. Post time for both days is 1:05 p.m.