TORONTO, July 23, 2026 – A pair of Ontario-sired 3-year-old stakes, the $150,000 Lake Superior and $150,000 Thunder Bay, share the spotlight on Sunday at Woodbine. Owned by Sue Leslie, Duckduckduck heads into the 6-furlong Lake Superior off a 9-1 score in the Lake Huron Stakes, which is also part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series (tip.ontarioracing.com/tip-stakes-program/). Trained by Evette Chartrand-Hoek, the son of Silent Name (JPN) out of the Philanthropist mare Peggy O took the 5-furlong inner turf dash by 1 ¾ lengths, in a final time of :56.98, on June 21. It was the gelding’s first race on the grass and second start of the season. “He’s growing up and he’s evolving, body-wise and mind-wise,” said Chartrand-Hoek. “He obviously liked the turf. He had his strong kick and was really rolling down the lane.” Duckduckduck was sixth in his 2026 debut, a 5 ½-furlong main track optional claimer on May 16. “It was a little puzzling for us,” said Chartrand-Hoek. “We just had to blow that one off. And sure enough, he came back to his old self.” After a second in his career debut on Aug. 2, 2025, Duckduckduck was fifth in Simcoe Stakes 22 days later. On Nov. 1, the bay gelding broke his maiden, taking a 5-furlong main track race by one length as the 5-2 choice. Just over three weeks after that win, Duckduckduck, bred by Kingview Farms, won the Clarendon Stakes. Sent on his way at 36-1 in the event for Ontario-bred or Ontario-sired 2-year-olds, he stormed home to a 2 ½-length triumph in 1:12.12. “We knew [he had talent] when he was a 2-year-old,” said Chartrand-Hoek. “And to end his first year off that way was fantastic. He had a very good first year at the races and then a nice, easy winter. He had three months hanging out in the snow and then came back. You could tell how much he had grown, physically, and mentally. “Over the last month, you can really see his body starting to change, just like 3-year-olds do.” Duckduckduck was a $57,000 (CDN) purchase (Hip #107) at the 2024 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale. “We love him,” said Chartrand-Hoek. “We did right from the start. He’s an absolute clown. He has this rubber ball in his stall and just goes rounds with it. And then all of a sudden, he’s quiet and you don’t even know he’s in his stall. But once he sees that ball, he’s off doing that again.” Charlie Brown is the groom. Duckduckduck and jockey Pietro Moran winning the 2026 Lake Huron Stakes at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Recent works: On July 12, Duckduckduck covered 4 furlongs on the main track in :51.20. One week later, over the same course and at the same distance, he stopped the clock in :48.80. “He has such a wonderful kick in the late going, but that is not the way he trains,” noted Chartrand-Hoek. “He’s not a real work horse, in that he just does what he has to do. But when you take him over on race day, it’s a completely different story. “He doesn’t set himself down when he breezes and we don’t really ask for that. He just does his works and he stays in good order that way. He’s doing well coming into the race.” Fast Facts: Secret Reserve won the first running of the Lake Superior Stakes on Oct. 22, 2021. Wagering menu for the Lake Superior: Includes Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / 0.20 Superfecta / $1 Swinger Field for the $150,000 Lake Superior Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Humormeastory – Jalon Samuel – Patrick Dixon 2 – Tiho Srce – Austin Adams – Patrick Dixon 3 – Pepper Brooks (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller 4 – Auntie’s Bambino – Xarel Forde – Louis Capi 5 – Gone With Duwyn – Fraser Aebly – Barb Minshall 6 – Duckduckduck – Pietro Moran – Evette Chartand-Hoek 7 – Quadzilla (S) – Romero Ramsay Maragh – John Mattine 8 – Chanchito – Jason Hoyte – Anthony Husbands 9 – Egbert Who – Keveh Nicholls – Richard Hayashi 10 – Wine After Whiskey – Ryan Munger – Michelle Love 11 – Silver Is Best – David Moran – Bill Tharrenos Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
