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Artie’s Princess queen of the Grade 2 Bessarabian

November 21, 2020

TORONTO, November 21, 2020 – Artie’s Princess, a three-year-old daughter of We Miss Artie, won her second straight stakes at Woodbine, and notched her first graded crown, in taking the $197,750 Bessarabian (Grade 2) at the Toronto oval on Saturday.

The trio of Jakarta, Souper Escape and Artie’s Princess zipped out of the gate in the seven-furlong Bessarabian, matching strides through an opening-quarter mile in a swift :22.31. It was Jakarta who eventually assumed command with her other two rivals tracking her every move. Artie’s Princess, who came into the race off a sharp score in the Ruling Angel Stakes on September 12, sat in third for Kazushi Kimura.

Jakarta continued to call the shots on the front end, taking her rivals through a half-mile clip in :44.41, as Princess Artie kept the pacesetter well within her sights.

As the field turned for home, Artie’s Princess surged to the lead, holding a two-length advantage at Robert Geller’s stretch call. Looking like a lock mid-way down the lane, the Wesley Ward trainee had to fend off a late-race meeting with hard-charging Boardroom, who fell a head short of collaring the winner. Our Secret Agent rallied to net third, while Amalfi Coast, last year’s Bessarabian champ, finished fourth.

“Basically, if I could go to the front I wanted to go to the front, but I knew that just the two horses wanted to go to the front, and it looked a little bit fast that’s why I was just patient, watched from behind,” said Kimura, who earlier in the card teamed with Field Pass to take the Grade 3 Ontario Derby Stakes. “She was just so comfortable today.”

The final time was 1:20.90.

Artie’s Princess and jockey Kazushi Kimura winning the $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (Grade 2) on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo)
Artie’s Princess and jockey Kazushi Kimura winning the $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes (Grade 2) on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo)

“I felt [jockey Luis Contreras and Boardroom coming] but she wasn’t that tired and kept going,” offered Kimura. “I felt I could win.”

The ultra-consistent filly, bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, now has three wins from four outings in 2020. Last year, the Ontario-bred went 2-1-0 from three starts, taking her first two races before a runner-up effort in the Frost King Stakes in November.

Her sire, We Miss Artie, also owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, won the 2014 Plate Trial at Woodbine before finishing third in the Queen’s Plate.

Sent off as the 5-2 choice, Artie’s Princess paid $7, $3.80 and $3.30. She combined with Boardroom ($5, $3.90) for a 4-2 $34.40 exactor. Our Secret Agent ($4.30) completed a 4-2-7 triactor worth $156.90. Amalfi Coast rounded a 4-2-7-5 $1 Superfecta that returned $277.35. Outburst was scratched.

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