TORONTO, October 19, 2025 – Zabarta, making her stakes debut, crushed her rivals in the $100,000 South Ocean, a seven-furlong main track race for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies, Sunday at Woodbine. Hot Stuff Baby, the second longest shot on the board at 27-1 in the field of eight, surged to the lead, followed by 7-5 choice Souper Diva and Sipping History, while Zabarta was at the back of the pack through an opening quarter in :22.74. It was still Hot Stuff Baby on top after a half in :46.58, who looked to power away from her foes heading into the turn for home, as Souper Diva, riding a two-race win streak – both stakes – picked up the pace, while Zabarta, under Desean Bynoe, had moved into seventh. By mid-stretch, it was the Zabarta show. On top by a head at the stretch call, the Bill Tharrenos trainee went on to a convincing seven-length score. Pageant Queen was second, 2 ¾ lengths ahead of her stablemate Sipping History. Souper Diva was fourth. The final time was 1:24.61. Zabarta and jockey Desean Bynoe winning the South Ocean Stakes on October 19, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Zabarta, who broke her maiden nine days earlier, earned rave reviews from her connections. “I’m ecstatic,” said Bynoe, who notched his first stakes victory. “She’s very game. I think she waits on me to ask her and she just goes. So, it makes the job a bit easier. The last start, she was being patient and that’s all I was thinking of the whole day, the whole week – just that one kick. I know she’s got it. I was just being patient.” Tharrenos, enjoying another strong campaign, also had high praise for the filly, who is now 2-0-0 from four career starts. “She had a couple little issues – attitude problems – but I really believe she can do it. She’s getting better.” The victory also marked the first stakes badge for Tara Horse Farm Inc., nom du course of Thomas Knizat. “I’m happy for this farm,” said Tharrenos. “They have been trying at it for a few years now. She [Zabarta] showed us a little bit of promise earlier on in the spring.” Sired by Abarta out of the Head Chopper mare Zazinga, the filly, bred by Cyril Simek, finished eighth in her debut on August 22 and followed it up with a fourth on September 11. She paid $29.50 for the South Ocean win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Reload Raleigh fends off foe for Frost King score TORONTO, October 19, 2025 – Reload Raleigh, under Ryan Munger, hung tough to produce his first stakes success in the $100,000 Frost King, Sunday at Woodbine. The trio of Reload Raleigh, Imyourmedicineman and Big Bold and First slugged it out on the front end strides out the gate in the seven-furlong main track affair for Ontario-sired 2-year-old colts and geldings, with Big Bold and First grabbing the slight upper hand to secure a head advantage through an opening quarter in :22.52. Reload Raleigh, who took control at the three-eighths and led by a half-length through a half in :45.45, shook clear of a rival at the three-sixteenths juncture, but found himself under inside pressure in early stretch from Souper Sporty, while Silver Is Best, who had come from a long way back, came off the rail and looked to track down the leader. Munger urged Reload Raleigh to dig in as Silver Is Best started to noticeably close the gap with 70 yards to the finish but could not get by the game frontrunning son of Reload out of the Awesome Again mare Ice Mint, who posted a head score in 1:24.99. Souper Sporty was third, 6 ¾ lengths ahead of Auntie’s Bambino. Reload Raleigh and jockey Ryan Munger winning the Frost King Stakes on October 19, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) “I thought he would [hold on],” said Munger, who is having an outstanding Woodbine campaign. “I’ll be honest – he felt like he was looking for company. From the top of the lane, he was running on the wrong lead, he was running towards the rail – he just needed company to join him. Once that horse (Silver Is Best) joined him, he was probably going to fight on again. “You know in high school, you get the jock, the good-looking sportsman, but damn, he’s not smart in class – that is him,” added Munger. Minshall, who is also having a fruitful season, watched Reload Raleigh finish a head-scratching eighth in his career bow, a 5 ½-furlong sprint over the Woodbine main track on July 6. One race later, the gelding broke his maiden after a half-length win at six furlongs over the main track on September 14. “He’s learning,” said Minshall. “He’s been a slow learner. He’s got the body, he’s a big, physical horse, but it has taken time to get his focus and get him together. Between the first and second race, we kind of had to regroup with him. He just wasn’t focused. He ran a good race second time and we were just kind of waiting for this race. He had a couple nice breezes, and I thought he would run well here today.” Owned by Kevin Drew and bred by Jon Hyka, the chestnut was a $14,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2024 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale Reload Raleigh, the slight 7-2 choice, paid $9.10 for the win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
