TORONTO, June 29—Financial Recovery was a bust in the Woodbine Oaks, finishing a distant seventh in that 1 1/8-mile classic for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. On Saturday, the daughter of Street Cry will be switching surfaces and facing ostensibly softer company in the $125,000 Ontario Damsel, a one-mile turf race for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies which attracted a field of eight. Financial Recovery made each of her four 2-year-old starts on the turf and finished second when beginning her sophomore campaign on the Tapeta here April 30 in the seven-furlong Fury for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. Then, after ending five lengths back when sixth in the Grade 3 Selene at 1 1/16 miles, Financial Recovery was bankrupt in the Woodbine Oaks as the 5-1 third choice under import rider Mike Smith. “She really did not enjoy the synthetic that day”, said Catherine Day Phillips, who conditions Financial Recovery for Narola LLC and Anderson Farms Ontario. “I think she’ll be very happy, back on the turf.” Financial Recovery ran well in each of her starts as a juvenile, including a maiden score over 1 1/16 miles in October and a fifth-place finish vs. males in the 1 1/16 mile Cup and Saucer won by Queen’s Plate contestant Tiz a Slam. David Moran will ride. Silver Princess and Little Christy finished 1-2, separated by a diminishing half-length, when meeting here May 27 in the seven-furlong Lady Angela for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies on the Tapeta, will renew hostilities in the Ontario Damsel. Silver Princess, trained by Roger Attfield, showed much promise last year when winning her maiden aat first asking over five furlongs and then running third in the restricted Victorian Queen at six furlongs. In her final start of the campaign, however, the Osprey Stable homebred was unrateable and faltered badly after leading by a large margin in the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Lassie for Ontario-sired fillies. This year, Silver Princess has been in the zone with a sharp front-running score at five furlongs setting the stage for her Lady Angela success. “She has been very tricky to train,” said Attfield, who worked with Silver Princess over the winter at Payson Park. “The gate, among other things, was a big issue. She’s much happier with the game now.” While the mile and the turf are uncharted territory Attfield notes that Silver Princess has worked very well on the turf training track and does not believe the mile will present a problem. “I don’t think that will be any problem for her,” said the trainer. Rafael Hernandez, who has ridden Silver Princess in each of her five outings, will be back aboard. Mike DePaulo, who conditions Little Christy, sent out the daughter of Silent Name to win both of her starts last year for owners Samotawka Stables, Charlie Buscaglia, and Kevin and Kate Cullen, is hopeful that his charge can turn the tables on Silver Princess at this longer distance. Little Christy only previous outing this year also was a good one as she finished second behind Sparkles’ Girl, a 4-year-old filly who had won the restricted Ontario Lassie in 2015 and ran fourth in last year’s edition of the Ontario Damsel. “I think she ran real well”, said DePaulo. “She may have been left with a little too much to do.” DePaulo also believes Little Christy’s pedigree supports an affinity for turf and the mile will be within her scope. “She seems to be rateable,” said the trainer. Eurico Rosa da Silva, her only race rider to date, retains the mount on Little Christy. Rounding out the field for the Ontario Damsel will be Ellen Vannin, winner of last fall’s Ontario Lassie and coming off a sixth-place finish in the Woodbine Oaks; last out winners Greek Justice and Listenlindalisten, the latter being one of two Mark Casse runners in the race along with Ontario Lassie third Missy Chrissy; and Crumlin Queen, second in the 1 1/16 mile South Ocean for Ontario-sired fillies last October. Share This:Share
