Incoming, Church and State, set for Woodstock test

TORONTO, April 24, 2025 – Nine hopefuls, including Incoming, and Church and State, will contest the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine. 

The 6-furlong Woodstock, for 3-year-olds, has traditionally been an important fixture in the lead-up to the iconic King’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown series, set for August 16.

Trained by Gail Cox for Barry Holmes, Incoming had a winding path leading up to his debut earlier this year.

“As a 2-year-old, he never went south to Florida,” recalled Cox. “He stayed in Canada – they brought him back from the [2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling] sale and thought he was sold, but he wasn’t – so I had him at Woodbine briefly, but he was extremely green. He had an injury and then went home. So, we were able to teach him a few things, but not that much.

“He came back last fall and continued training. The decision was then made to send him to Florida – he needed to go and get some experience. When he started breezing in Florida, he grew up a ton. He’s a good-looking horse – people take notice of him – and he moves well.”

Sired by Flameaway out of the Shanghai Bobby mare Gem Thief, the dark bay debuted on February 12 over 5 ½ furlongs on the Gulfstream synthetic.

Sent off at 27-1, the longest shot in the field of six, Incoming prompted the pace in the three path, but faded late to finish fourth.

“I thought his first race was very positive,” said Cox. “He handled the shipping from Toronto to Florida very well, and handled Gulfstream well, too. After that race, he really stepped up his game.”

Incoming’s second start produced a maiden-breaking victory on March 14 at the Hallandale oval.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Incoming, at 13-1, raced in the middle of the pack on the inside up the backstretch before making a bid entering the stretch and gaining ground late.

“He ran a way more mature race,” said Cox, of the three-quarter length score at five panels over Gulfstream’s synthetic course. “He needed to have that experience from his first race to get this result.”

Prior to heading north to Woodbine, Incoming had a steady work tab at Payson Park, which included a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.80 on the dirt on April 16. 

“He’s really grown up this year,” said Cox, who will also send out Kokomo – a son of Flameaway she also owns – in the Woodstock. “I think he’s coming into this race well. He shipped to Toronto on April 18, which has given him time to be ready for this. I think he’ll run a very good race – he’s already won on the synthetic, so we know he likes that surface.” 

Incoming was bred in Ontario by Phoenix Rising Farms.

Church and State, a son of Caravaggio out of the Vindication mare Full Snow Moon, will make his second start of 2025 after a fourth in the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park in January.

“The weather wasn’t great, and we missed a lot of training, spending about two weeks in the barn,” said trainer Dale Desruisseaux. “Right before they got back to racing, they cultivated the track, and it was a deep surface. He was very tired after the race. I just don’t think he handled the track that day.”

Owned by Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc., the grey gelding galloped to a pair of impressive wins to launch his career in the latter stages of 2024.

“Physically, when you look at him, he’s not an imposing horse,” said Desruisseaux. “He’s kind of like a greyhound. When we started breezing him a bit longer leading up to his first start, you could see he was moving in the right direction. He’s got his quirks – usually the good ones do – but they are not unmanageable.”

In his debut, a seven-furlong main track race on November 15 at Woodbine, Church and State rallied from second-last of 11 to notch a 2 ½-length score at 9-1.

“It was a very good race,” said Desruisseaux. “I didn’t think he would be as far back as he was – I think Raffi [jockey, Hernandez] took him back. We had an inside post, and I think sometimes those young first-time starters look at the gap and lean that way, so Raffi moved him to the outside behind horses, which ended up working out great.

“But he’s pretty handy. You can put him wherever you want. Visually, it was a pretty impressive race. He made a nice move around the turn and exploded down the lane. I kind of expected him to run that type of race, where he sits off the pace and comes with a nice run.”

Three weeks later, on December 6, Church and State, bred in Ontario by DP Racing, LLC, secured a one-length victory at one mile and 70 yards over the same course.

“That was the true test. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s a two-turn horse, but he won that race on talent. I think he’ll end up being a seven-eighths, miler type of horse. I’m looking forward to getting him on the turf as well.”

Church and State, a $15,000 (USD) purchase at the Keeneland Association January 2023 Horses of All Ages sale, posted a trio of breezes leading up to the Woodstock, including five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Sunday.

Said Desruisseaux, “He has had very nice breezes over the past two-plus weeks. The race might be a tad short for him, but it looks like he will have some speed to run at.”       

Rafael Hernandez, aboard for all three prior starts, gets the call on Sunday.

Matt Wray is the groom. 

In last year’s edition of the Woodstock, Midnight Mascot, a son of Army Mule, notched his first stakes victory for trainer Mark Casse and owners Manfred and Penny Conrad. Curtolima won the inaugural running in 1885. Lyford Cay won the 1957 Woodstock and took that year’s Queen’s Plate (98th running) by 11 ½ lengths.

The Woodstock is Race 7 on Sunday’s 8-race card. The wagering menu for the race includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, and $1 Swinger. First post time is 1:05 p.m. 

Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com. 

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 

1 – War of Destiny – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

2 – Mansetti – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard

3 – Church and State – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux

4 – Big Vince – Walter Rodriguez – Larry Rivelli

5 – Incoming – Ryan Munger – Gail Cox

6 – Most Likely (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

7 – Kokomo – Sofia Vives – Gail Cox

8 – Thundering – Eswan Flores – Patrick Dixon

9 – Notorious Gangster – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll

Chris Lomon, Woodbine