Curlin’s Voyage prevails in Fury photo finish

TORONTO, July 5, 2020 – Canadian champion filly Curlin’s Voyage nosed out 65-1 longshot Justleaveitalone in a photo finish to win the $125,000 Fury Stakes for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack.

Patrick Husbands guided the Curlin-Atlantic Voyage filly to victory in the seven-furlong stepping-stone to the Triple Tiara, which kicks off with the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser over 1-1/8 miles on August 15.

Trying Woodbine’s Tapeta surface for the first time and putting her perfect five-race win streak on the line, Infinite Patience, co-owned by Edmonton Oilers player Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and breeder William DeCoursey, set a pressured pace through panels of :23.74 and :46.59 with the maiden filly Justleaveitalone in hot pursuit.

Curlin’s Voyage stalked the top pair along the rail then fanned three-wide on the final turn with fellow Josie Carroll trainee Avie’s Samurai joining the fray in a four-across battle down the stretch.

Curlin’s Voyage ultimately persevered, edging out Justleaveitalone by a head in a final time of 1:23.91, with Infinite Patience settling for third, one length behind after her gutsy effort. Avie’s Samurai finished fourth with Mizzen Beau and Gun Society completing the order of finish.

“Going down the back, it was a lot of ‘cat and mouse’ game,” said Husbands, who has won five previous editions of the Fury – all with Mark Casse trainees – including last year’s race with Speedy Soul.

“About the three-eighths pole, I had enough of this, I just had to get in gear and get the job done.”

Sent postward as the 6-5 favourite, the winner returned $4.60.

Curlin’s Voyage was voted Canada’s 2019 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for her $265,000 juvenile campaign in which she went 3-1-1 in six starts, including a pair of stakes wins over 1-1/16 miles (Grade 3 Mazarine and Ontario Lassie).

Husbands picked up the mount for her final start last year in the Ontario Lassie and also guided her to a runner-up finish in her sophomore debut in the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes on June 13.

“To me, she’s a better filly going two turns and we look forward to her next race,” said the Triple Crown-winning jockey.

Curlin’s Voyage is co-owned by breeder Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Windsor Boys Racing. She is eligible to the Oaks as well as The Queen’s Plate (September 12), assessed as the 3-1 third choice in the Winterbook.

Carroll, who trained the 2006 Fury champion Gumboots, has won the Queen’s Plate twice, with Edenwold (2006) and Inglorious (2011) — also the winner of the Oaks that year.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues, without spectators, on Thursday at the Toronto oval with an eight-race program beginning at 3:45 p.m. Racing Night Live will feature action from Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET on TSN1 and TSN3.