TORONTO, September 13, 2019 – Two-year-old Miss Understanding looks to go a perfect two-for-two in her career when she goes postward in Sunday’s inaugural $100,000 Ontario Racing Stakes, at Woodbine. Owned and trained by Wayne Rice, Miss Understanding, a daughter of Tale of Ekati-Perfect City (by Perfect Soul), arrives at the five-furlong Inner turf event off an impressive debut performance. On August 27 at Presque Isle Downs, the bay filly, under Arienne Cox, drove clear in the final going to record a 1 ½-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong race over the Pennsylvania oval’s main track. The final time for the Charles Fipke-bred miss was 1:04.73. “That effort did not surprise me,” said Rice. “I love the filly. She’s big, robust, hearty… and she’s doing fabulous after the race. That was such a nice race. She just sat in behind them, no problem. Arienne swung her to the outside, tapped her a couple of times, and they drove away. I really like the horse.” Rice, who has enjoyed success at Woodbine, including a win with I’m Corfu on July 6, is looking forward to seeing how his filly fares against tougher competition. “I’m really excited about running her this weekend,” he said. “Any way you go, it was a great starting race. Great education for her, sat in the middle of the pack behind horses, and it didn’t bother her. It’s a little more of an ambitious plan for Sunday. I also have a pair of fillies in the filly stake (My Doughnut and Nite Brite, in the Woodbine Cares Stakes, also on Sunday) and I’m Corfu in the first. I like the post-position (three) for Miss Understanding, near the inside.” Rice thinks the Ontario-bred is ready for the Ontario Racing challenge. “She squeals at you every day you lead her out of the stall – bouncing up and down, and squealing at you. She’s just a keg of dynamite looking for something to do.” Closing in on 200 career wins, Rice, who will be on-hand Sunday to watch his horses run, is thrilled with the opportunity to come back to the Toronto oval. “We’ve had a pretty good season going up there. The horses, they’ve been telling us, ‘Let’s go up and play there.’ We were just on the backside for the night racing on Wednesday, watching from the little grandstand, and looking at all those lights shine on the track. It is just a stunning place, and I love going up there. It’s what racing should be. A place like that, with the immaculateness of it… we had some other people come up and watch us run a month ago, and they were just shocked. They could not believe that right there, in the middle of the city, is this great establishment. The people are courteous, receptive, and kind. We just want to come up and play, and see what we can do.” Miss Understanding will face seven rivals, including Aye Aye Sir, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. She has just one start to date, a fourth-place finish at Saratoga on August 15. Trained by Wesley Ward, the Barb Minshall-bred bay colt is a son of Midshipman. Barilko, a Catherine Day Phillips trainee, has one win in two starts Anderson Farms, George Ledson and Scott Kelly. The son of Elusive Quality broke his maiden in his first start, holding on to notch a neck score in a six-furlong turf race at Woodbine. Chaos Kid, although winless in nine starts, boasts five runner-up finishes, and a pair of third-place efforts. The Kentucky-bred son of Summer Front is trained by Teresa Connelly for owner Endeavor Bloodstock LLC. The dark bay gelding finished second in a pair of outings at Colonial Downs, on August 9 and September 4. Clear Destination, trained by Ashlee Brnjas for Colebrook Farms, has a win and pair of seconds from six career starts. The Florida-bred son of Seek Again heads into the Ontario Racing off a maiden-breaking triumph on September 2 at Woodbine. Divided Sky, another Wesley Ward pupil, went off as the favourite in his only start, a 5 ½-furlong race over the Saratoga turf on August 9. Under John Velazquez, the son of Society Rock finished ninth of 10. Goldmine Cat, a son of Goldencents, has a first, second, and a third from three lifetime starts for owners Quintessential Racing Florida, and Sue Leslie. Bred in Ontario by Bernard and Karen McCormack, the bay colt, trained by Mark Casse, arrives at the Ontario Racing off a third-place effort in the Simcoe Stakes. Old Chestnut, another Casse trainee, looked sharp in winning a five-furlong turf race at Woodbine on August 9. With Patrick Husbands in the irons, the son of Speightstown, bred and owned by Live Oak, turned a one-length lead at the stretch call into a three-length triumph. I’m Corfu, a recent Woodbine winner from the Wayne Rice stable, will return to compete at the Toronto oval earlier in the day on Sunday. (Michael Burns Photo) The Ontario Racing is race six on Sunday’s 11-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com. $100,000 Ontario Racing Stakes Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Barilko – Eurico Rosa da Silva – Catherine Day Phillips 2 – Goldmine Cat – Gary Boulanger – Mark Casse 3 – Miss Understanding – Arienne Cox – Wayne Rice 4 – Old Chestnut – Tyler Gaffalione – Mark Casse 5 – Aye Aye Sir – John Velazquez – Wesley Ward 6 – Clear Destination – David Moran – Ashlee Brnjas 7 – Chaos Kid – Pablo Morales – Teresa Connelly 8 – Divided Sky – Irad Ortiz Jr. – Wesley Ward Share This:Share
