‘Crown’ jewel: Seven vie for Breeders’ Stakes supremacy

TORONTO, September 26, 2024 – Seven 3-year-olds are set to go postward in Sunday’s $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the third jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, at Woodbine.

The final event of the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred sophomores concludes on the world-renowned E.P. Taylor turf with the longest leg of 1 ½ miles.

In her most recent start, ultra-consistent filly Hurricane Clair was able to best a stubborn Stormcast to win the third leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, at 1 ¼ miles over the E.P. Taylor turf, on September 8.

“It was another great race from her,” praised trainer Marty Drexler. “She is confident, she knows what she is doing, she is fit, sound, and she’s eating well. I don’t ever take anything for granted, but she is doing great.”

Bred by Bru-Mel Stables Co., Hurricane Clair, sporting a record of 3-3-2 from 10 starts, has reached the podium in all five of her 2024 races.

Third in the Woodbine Oaks, first jewel in the Triple Tiara, where she rallied impressively from ninth to finish 1 ½ lengths behind Kin’s Concerto, the daughter of Silent Name (JPN)-Hurricane Lorraine was then second in the Bison City, the middle leg of the series, on August 10.

Drexler continues to be impressed by the bay, whose purse earnings stand at $450,112 (CDN).

“She was always a nice horse, but she has just continued to raise the bar,” said Drexler. “I can’t point to a particular race where we knew she had this type of talent – it was more just a build-up of all the things she was achieving. I think the way she raced in the Oaks showed me she could go up against that caliber of horses. ​

“I am not surprised at how she goes about her business, but I am still taken aback at just how good she has become.”

Owned by David Rowbotham, Rodney Carpenter and Tony Boogmans, Hurricane Clair, who broke her maiden in her second start, last year’s Muskoka Stakes, was a $35,000 purchase at the 2022 CTHS Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale.

“I’m happy for David,” said Drexler. “He’s been in the game for over 25 years, and this is his best horse. He’s over the moon with this horse and what she has been able to achieve. ​

“It’s been a great ride with her. Everything we’ve asked of her – she has gone above and beyond. It’s a lot of fun right now.”

Greg Howell is the groom.

King Rosso, trained by multiple graded stakes winning conditioner Kevin Attard, will test the Woodbine turf for the fourth time in his nine-race career.

The son of Vino Rosso-Catch the Fire finished sixth, just 3 ½ lengths behind the winner, in his career bow, at seven furlongs over the E.P. Taylor course last August.

That October, he was third in the Cup & Saucer Stakes, at 1 1/16 miles on the E.P. Taylor.

In his most recent start, on September 2, he came from 14 lengths back of the leader to finish third, four lengths back of winner Derby Street in a 1 ¼-mile test over good going on the E.P. Taylor.

“I liked the way he closed,” said Attard. “Once he kicked in, he put in a very nice run. I thought his last two efforts (a second at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, on August 9) were very good.

“He’s been a little unfortunate when it comes to getting on the turf this year. Three of his races were moved to the main track, so the hope is he can build off that last race and move forward from it.”

Although the chestnut gelding, owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, is winless to date (0-2-2 from 9 starts), Attard believes the sophomore has a good shot to net the milestone score on Sunday.

“We like him a lot,” said Attard. “There is no question he has the ability. It would be nice to see him put it all together on Sunday and win his first race in style.”

Bred by Tan Hyka, King Rosso was a $100,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale.

Rhiannon Parkes is the groom.

Jokestar, bred and owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, was fifth in The King’s Plate and eighth in the Prince of Wales.

The son of Practical Joke-Starmaline, who will get his first chance to test the E.P. Tayor turf, debuted on Woodbine’s inner grass course last August.

After hesitating at the start, the gelding was last of 10 early on and ended up staying in that position throughout the one-mile trek.

“Definitely not what we were expecting,” recalled Attard. “We knew that wasn’t him and we were confident his next race would be much better. And it was. He finished second and put in a very good effort.”

Jokestar broke his maiden in his final 2-year-old start, a game head score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track.

“I thought he showed a lot of grit in that race,” said Attard. “It was a great way for him end his season.”

The multiple graded stakes winning conditioner is expecting a strong showing from the bay gelding on Sunday.

“He didn’t take to the dirt last time out in the Prince of Wales, but I thought he had a solid effort in the Plate,” said Attard. “The distance certainly won’t be an issue, and I think he will appreciate the long stretch in the Breeders’.”

Peter Singh is the groom.

Roscar, campaigned by multiple graded stakes winning conditioner Rachel Halden for owner and breeder Chiesfwood Stables, brings a 1-0-2 mark from 6 starts into Sunday’s engagement.

The son of Oscar Performance-Rosemere has contested his past two races on the Woodbine grass, one on the E.P. Taylor and the other on the inner turf.

A tough trip on the inner turf in July resulted in a seventh-place finish, only 3 ½-lengths behind Swift Delivery, who went on to finish second in the Toronto Cup Stakes on August 31.

The bay gelding arrives at the Breeders’ off a third, 1 ¼ lengths back of the winner, over 1 ¼ miles on the E.P. Taylor, on August 11.

“I thought his last race was a very good effort,” praised Halden. “We have struggled to get in a good rhythm with him this year. The King’s Plate was on the radar originally. He had solid performance his first start of the year. Timing-wise, we opted to run in the Queenston, which turned out to not have been the right decision for him. It was a very quickly run race and threw us off course with him a bit.

“We then started thinking more about this race and moved him to the turf. He had a troubled trip on the inner turf [July 19], but his last race on the E.P. Taylor, going a mile and a quarter, gave us the confidence to aim here. We didn’t want to cut him back in distance again to get another race into him before today, so we opted to train straight up to this.” ​

Roscar worked twice on the turf training track, six furlongs in 1:13.20 on September 8, and five furlongs in 1:01.40 on September 15. ​

On September 22, he took to the main track and covered four furlongs in :50.40.

Halden will also send out another Chiefswood homebred, Saccharine, who was supplemented to the race.

A bay daughter of Noble Mission (GB)-Niigon’s Legacy, has been a steady performer for her connections in 2024.

In her past four starts, Saccharine is 0-3-1.

“I said all winter that I believe she is looking to run long on the turf,” said Halden. “She has run some very good races this year, and unlucky in a few.

Saccharine arrives at the Breeders’ off a strong showing in the Wonder Where, where she fought gamely to secure a third place finish.

“She ran a very credible race, and I strongly believe this is what she wants to do, to run long on the grass. She came out of the Wonder Where well and we believe she deserves a chance in here.”

Saccharine’s most recent work was a four-furlong breeze, in :49.00, over the Woodbine main track on September 22.

Mary-Anne Baumgartner is the groom of both Halden fillies.

Thor’s Cause (0-0-3 from 9 starts), a son of Brody’s Cause-Expressly Yours trained by Krista Cole, and Side Street (0-1-1 from 3 starts), another Chiefswood Stables homebred, trained by Layne Giliforte, round out the field.

The last Triple Crown winner was Wando, just the seventh horse to complete the series sweep when he won the 2003 Breeders’ Stakes with jockey Patrick Husbands aboard for trainer Michael Keogh and late owner/breeder Gustav Schickedanz.

Since then, A Bit O’Gold (2004), Pender Harbour (2011) and Tone Broke (2019) also claimed two-thirds of the Triple Crown by taking the last two legs. In 2020, Belichick won the Breeders’, denying stablemate Mighty Heart a Triple Crown sweep.

The longest shot to win the Breeders’ Stakes was Miami Deco in 2010. The Ontario-bred son of Limehouse returned $132.10 for a $2 win bet. Catherine Day Phillips became the first female trainer to win the race courtesy of A Bit O’Gold in 2004. One year later, she was in the winner’s circle again, this time with Jambalaya.

Roger Attfield holds the record for most wins by a trainer with nine. His first victory came with Carotene in 1986.

Post time is set for 1:10 p.m. ET, with the Breeders’ Stakes scheduled as the ninth race (approximately 5:40 p.m. ET). The race will be broadcast live from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.

Field for the Breeders’ Stakes (Race 9) 

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Thor’s Cause – Jeffrey Alderson – Krista Cole

2 – Roscar – Justin Stein – Rachel Halden

3 – Hurricane Clair – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

4 – King Rosso – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

5 – Side Street (S) – Sofia Vives – Layne Giliforte

6 – Jokestar – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Kevin Attard

7 – Saccharine (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Rachel Halden

Chris Lomon, Woodbine