Court Return and Fukumoto celebrate first stakes win

TORONTO, August 22, 2020 – Ivan Dalos’ homebred filly Court Return celebrated stakes success with jockey Daisuke Fukumoto after taking the $100,000 Eternal Search for Ontario-sired fillies and mares on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack.

Court Return arrived at the 1-1/16-mile inner turf stakes following a 1:41.28 track record victory over the same course and distance last time out on July 2.

Off to a slow start as she trailed her seven rivals early on, Court Return advanced wide outside of Queen’s Plate eligible Gun Society down the backstretch as that foe accelerated from the backfield and matched strides with longshot leader Desdemona (:24.65, :49.73 and 1:13.83) in the final turn. Gun Society, winner of the 2019 South Ocean Stakes, took over command from the eventual third-place finisher turning for home before Fukumoto summoned Court Return to a 1-1/4 length victory.

Partnering up with the Josie Carroll trainee for the first time, Fukumoto celebrated his first stakes victory as Court Return crossed the wire in 1:43.66.

“Today was my first time with her,” said Fukumoto. “In the backstretch, I thought it was a slow pace, so I just asked her a little bit and she just kept going.”

A daughter of Court Vision out of In Return, Court Return is a four-year-old half-sister to a pair of multiple Grade 1 turf stakes winners, Channel Maker and Johnny Bear.

“It appears to be a family that develops late,” said Carroll, noting the filly just floats over the grass. “Mr. Dalos realizes that, and we’ve said that all along that we just have to be patient and this filly will come.”

The win was the second in 10 career starts for Court Return, who boosted her bankroll over $130,000.

Sent postward as the 9-2 third choice on the toteboard, Court Return paid $10.80 to win.

Bramble Queen, the 8-5 favourite, fell while racing outside of horses near the back in the final turn. Both the mare and jockey Luis Contreras walked off under their own power.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues at Woodbine on Sunday featuring two-year-olds in turf action in the $100,000 Soaring Free Stakes and filly companion Catch a Glimpse Stakes. Post time for the first of 11 races is set for 1 p.m.