A Chiefswood Breeders’ Stakes sweep

TORONTO, September 29, 2024 – Roscar, Saccharine, and Side Street gave Chiefswood Stables a homebred podium finish in the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the final jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, Sunday at Woodbine.

Thor’s Cause, 4-5 choice Hurricane Clair, and Side Street scrapped over the early lead in the 1 ½-mile marathon over the E.P. Taylor turf on a picture-perfect fall day, as Justin Stein, aboard Roscar, tucked the son of Oscar Performance-Rosemere into fourth of seven.

It was Thor’s Cause, who finished seventh in The King’s Plate, who emerged on the front end and took her six rivals through a tepid opening quarter in :25.08, followed by Hurricane Clair, Side Street, and Roscar.

The lead duo continued their tussle that saw Thor’s Cause a head on top through a half in :52.13. Stein had Roscar well within range of the leaders, comfortably positioned in third after a mile.

Heading into the final turn, a host of hopefuls burst onto the scene, including Roscar, who burst through along the rail to seize command in early stretch.

From there, it was the Chiefswood show, as Roscar dug in along the rail, while Saccharine picked up the pursuit of his stablemate to the outside, as did Side Street.

Roscar confidently fended off Saccharine – both trained by Rachel Halden – by 1 ½ lengths for the victory, with a game Side Street, trained by Layne Giliforte (who sent out Chiefswood’s Touch’n Ride to win last year’s Breeders’), a further three lengths back in third. King Rosso was fourth.

The final time over good going was 2:34.72.

Thor’s Cause, Jokestar, and Hurricane Clair rounded out the order of finish.

“We really liked this horse today,” said Stein, who has now won all three jewels of the Triple Crown (he won the 2012 Queen’s Plate with Strait of Dover, along with two Prince of Wales triumphs, in 2022 with Duke of Love and in 2023 with Velocitor). “And he’s been showing a lot of a lot of talent, and we kind of thought he’d be sharp early leaving the gate due to being off for seven weeks. And it took a minute to settle him in to stride, and he was literally towing me, in behind traffic, just waiting for his chance to turn free and then he did the rest.

“I’ve been very fortunate, very blessed, to have the support from the trainers and owners at Woodbine to ride the horses to get the job done.”

Halden was full of praise for her duo.

“We were hopeful. Obviously, he’s [Roscar] had a bit of a mixed up year, and we haven’t been able to get into a smooth rhythm with him. And the Plate was on the radar to begin with, but after the Queenston [Stakes], then it kind of threw us off path a little bit, and then we had to wait, aim for this race. So, it’s just great. It’s so deserving for the owners, everybody involved. When you kind of give up the opportunity of other races to wait for this, when it works out, it’s just really, really great.

“She’s [Saccharine] just barely done anything wrong all year outside of win. You know she’s going to get the distance. I’m so proud of her as well today. She ran great again.”

With the Breeders’ victory, Roscar, who notched his first stakes success, is now 2-0-2 from 7 starts. Chiefswood also won the 2018 edition with Neepawa.  

The bay gelding, second choice on the tote board, paid $8.50 for the win.  

Chris Lomon, Woodbine