TORONTO, November 17, 2024 – The Ontario Sired Heritage Series concluded Sunday at Woodbine with War Painter winning the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay Stakes and No More Options taking the $100,000 Lake Ontario Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile main track events, the Lake Ontario for Ontario sired 3-year-old colts and geldings, and the Ashbridges Bay, for Ontario sired 3-year-old fillies, completed the bonus-laden eight-leg stakes series held at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks. Sent off as the 4-1 third choice, War Painter, with Fraser Aebly in the irons, broke well and settled outside in fourth, as Never Silent showed the way early in the seven-horse Ashbridges Bay, reaching the opening quarter in :24.84 Never Silent maintained her advantage along the backstretch, tracked by the trio of longshot Frac Amour, 4-5 choice Hurricane Clair and War Painter. Ahead by two lengths through a half in :49.26, Never Silent had company in the turn for home, with Little Teddy, in between horses, Hurricane Clair, along the rail, and a four-wide War Painter all closing in on the leader. Little Teddy struck front in upper stretch, but Hurricane Clair burst through in a bid for the lead, while War Painter, under steady urging, looked to reel in her rivals. At the wire, War Painter emerged on top courtesy of a gritty head score in a time of 1:44.93. Hurricane Clair was a head in front of Secret Load for second. Nikita’s Gem was a further neck back in fourth. War Painter and jockey Fraser Aebly winning the Ashbridges Bay Stakes on November 17, 2024 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) It was the second lifetime stakes triumph for the daughter of Danish Dynaformer out of the Tale of Ekati mare Morning Tale. Last year, the bay filly took top prize in the Victorian Queen. “We broke well, we had some pretty good positioning going down the backside and when we hit the head of the lane she was running for me,” said Aebly. “Three jumps before the wire she just grabbed the bit again and took off.” Trained by Kevin Attard for owner Canuck Racing Club, War Painter is now 3-4-1 from 11 career starts. It was the fourth consecutive stakes engagement for War Painter, who arrived at the Ashbridges Bay off a fifth in the Eternal Search on Oct. 26. “It’s very fitting for her,” said Attard, who won last year’s edition with Fashionably Fab. “She’s danced all the dances, and we always thought there was more to her than what she’s put up on the racetrack this year. So, for her to get this victory is very meaningful and special for us.” Added Mark Halloran of Canuck Racing Club, “This won’t be our last stakes win, that’s our hope anyway. Working with Canuck Racing, we came up with this dream about two years ago. War Painter was one of our first horses. This is really meaningful for the group and there are a whole bunch of us here today and we’re still growing.” After a second and a third to launch her career, War Painter broke her maiden in the Victorian Queen. Bred by Charles Fipke, she was a $30,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. War Painter paid $10.50 for today’s win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
