TORONTO, November 30, 2024 – Aristella notched her first stakes win in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth, a main track race for Canadian-foaled 2-year-old fillies, and a key event on the path to the 70th running of the Woodbine Oaks, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series on Saturday at Woodbine. Regal Moment, at 30-1, broke alertly and zipped to the front in the 11-horse field (Proud Mischief was scratched), followed by fellow longshots Orient Beach, Ella It Is and Crystal Visions, with the pacesetter taking her rivals through a pedestrian opening quarter in :26.40, as Patrick Husbands settled an unhurried Aristella at the back of the pack. Orient Beach then took a slight lead with Ready for Candy, 9-2 second choice on the board, ranging up on the outside to shadow the new leader, followed by Regal Moment and Aristella, who had moved her way into fourth through a half in a tepid :52.92. As the field navigated the turn for home, Ready for Candy poked a head in front, but then had to keep tabs on a hard-charging Aristella to her outside. The pair engaged in an energetic mid-stretch duel to the wire with Aristella emerging on top for a half-length triumph. A game Ready for Candy finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of Crystal Visions, who headed 4-5 choice Shifty for third. The final time was 1:48.78. Aristella and jockey Patrick Husbands winning the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on November 30, 2024 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) “I wanted to save some ground, but by the seven-eighths pole, I saw the guys in trouble, so I had to go back out to the outside,” said Husbands. “So, I let the race go and let my horse get comfortable. And then by the quarter-pole, she was just taking me there, and it was only a matter of how far she’s [going to] win. So, she won a big race.” Rachel Halden, who trains for Flying Zee Racing Stables LLC, had high praise for the determined display engineered by her young charge. “She was actually the only filly in the whole race that has won two turns already,” said Halden. “So, I mean, that was encouraging. And, you know, everybody else was coming off sprints. She was doing well. The last race, it actually was quite a solid effort in a very tough graded stakes. We felt very good about everything coming into it today.” A daughter of More Than Ready out of the unraced Street Cry (IRE) mare Back to Love, Aristella, who finished seventh in her previous start, the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes on Nov. 3, is now 2-0-0 from 5 starts. She broke her maiden in her third appearance, a 1 ¾-length score over a mile and 70 yards on the Woodbine main track on Oct. 5. Bred by Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, LLC & Anderson Farms (Ontario), the bay filly was a $70,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale. Aristella paid $21.30 for the Princess Elizabeth victory. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
