Fantastical earns first career stakes’ win in Grade 3 Trillium thriller

TORONTO, July 25, 2026 – Kentucky invader Fantastical rallied gamely to win a three-horse photo and score her first career stakes’ win in Saturday’s (G3) $175,000 Trillium Stakes, presented by Don Julio at Woodbine. ​ ​

Ridden by Rafael Hernandez, the five-year-old daughter of Air Force Blue was bumped at the break by Design but recovered to be 5th first time under the wire, in the nine-furlong route for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up. ​ ​

Into the clubhouse turn, Fantastical was again bothered, this time being carried out a path by a rank Hurricane Clair, who stumbled at break. Meanwhile Lupa (IRE), who broke running from the rail post, led by two lengths through an opening quarter mile in :24.29 and built that lead to two and a half lengths through an opening half-mile in :49.57, while racing under a tight hold by jockey Fraser Aebly.

Around the far turn, Aebly let Lupa (IRE) out a notch and she continued to lead the field of 9 through an opening six-furlongs in 1:13.69. Inside the quarter pole, Fantastical emerged from fifth, splitting horses and was soon joined to her outside by 63-1 longshot Fortyfiveseventy. ​ ​ ​ ​

Lupa (IRE), who had dispatched an initial challenge from Rashmi, was desperately trying to see it out. Fortyfiveseventy and Fantastical (three wide), soon converged on her making it a line of three on the money, with the Joe Sharp-trained Fantastical prevailing by a head bob in a final time of 1:51.15. ​ ​

“We had a good trip,” said Hernandez, who captured the Hendrie Stakes earlier on Saturday’s card.

“Just first thing, one horse coming out bumped me, and he took my horse out of the rhythm a little bit, but he picked it up right away, and the next half furlong, he was right where he wanted to be.” ​

Fantastical entered the Trillium off a game second place finish on Woodbine’s inner turf in the (G3) Royal North, a race where she was ridden by Jose Campos and galloped out strongly. ​ ​ In the interim, Sharp worked her an easy half mile (:50.00) at Turfway Park before shipping her back to Woodbine.

Winless in four prior stake races, the five-year-old chestnut mare earned her first black type win, while trying nine-furlongs for the first time.

Bred in Kentucky by Paul Schwartz & James Reiley McDonald Jr. and owned by Carl R. Moore Management LLC, Fantastical improved to 6-6-4 from 22 lifetime starts. And now has a record of 5-1-3 on all-weather surfaces from 10 career races.

A $75,000 purchase at the Keeneland September 2022 sale, Fantastical was listed at 3-1 on the morning line, went off at 4-1 and returned $10.20 for the win. ​

12-1 shot Lupa (IRE) gamely held for second, 63-1 longshot Fortyfiveseventy was third and race favourite Golden Sunshine closed from eighth to finish fourth.

Phil McSween, Woodbine