Mythical Mission takes dead aim at Wonder Where

Trained by Malcolm Pierce, the Sam-Son Farm homebred daughter of Giant’s Causeway-Misty Mission is a full sister to the two-time Sovereign Award winner and multiple graded stakes winner Irish Mission.

"She’s doing really well and I think we’re on the right surface, finally," said Pierce. "Her full sister (Irish Mission) was great on the turf and she won the Oaks, where we finished second. But, I really believe Mythical Mission is much better on the turf than on any other surface."

With a record of 2-2-2 from six starts, including a maiden win in her lone turf effort, Mythical Mission will be one of three contenders in the race, along with Ghostly Presence and Enstone, to have competed in all three legs of the Triple Tiara.

Mythical Mission landed a strong second in the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, to start the series over 1 1/8-miles on the Woodbine main and was again second in the Bison City Stakes over 1 1/16-miles on the Tapeta.

Pierce was proud of the chestnut’s Oaks effort.

"I was pleased with her. She tried hard and came at a very good filly (Holy Helena) who came back and won the Queen’s Plate," said Pierce.

Last time out, in a compact field of six for the Bison City, Mythical Mission, with leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva up, chased home a determined Enstone. The veteran conditioner, who has won the Wonder Where on three previous occasions with Hot Talent (2002), Alpha Sapphire (2003) and Smartyfly (2013), believes stretching out to 1 1/4-miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course could be the difference maker.

"She’s an off-the-pace filly and between the three-eighths and the quarter pole she tried to get Enstone in the Bison City. Eurico knew he had to try and catch her but she quickened and we never got to her," said Pierce. "She (Enstone) is a good filly and when she gets the lead to herself she’s tough. I’m hoping with the mile and a quarter, and on the right surface, we should have no excuses. We’re going into the race in good order and we’ll see what happens on Sunday."

A talented field of seven for the Wonder Where includes Enstone, Ellan Vannin and the improving maiden winner Inflexibility.

Enstone, trained by Mark Casse, boasts a record of three wins and four seconds from 10 starts including victories in the Fury and Bison City Stakes. She is winless in three turf attempts but owns a strong second on the Saratoga turf last July that set up an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine. Patrick Husbands will ride.

Ellan Vannin, trained by Tony M. Gattellaro for owner Jon Lee, has won two of five starts including a victory in the Ontario Lassie Stakes to close out a perfect juvenile campaign. The Spring At Last chestnut started her 2017 campaign on the Tapeta finishing fifth in the Fury and sixth in the Woodbine Oaks, and a shift to turf last time out improved the filly to fourth, defeated less than three lengths, in the one-mile Ontario Damsel Stakes. Jerome Lermyte takes over from Luis Contreras.

Contreras, who guided Holy Helena to victories in the Oaks and Queen’s Plate, picks up the mount on the Chad Brown trained Inflexibility. The Scat Daddy bay graduated at second asking on the Belmont turf before shipping north to Woodbine to finish third in both the Oaks and the Plate. A return to turf will suit the talented bay.

Ghostly Presence, winner of the prestigious Princess Elizabeth Stakes; Financial Recovery, last out winner of the turf Ontario Damsel​; and two-time winner Crumlin Queen complete the field.

The Wonder Where will go as Race 8 on Sunday’s 10-race card, which also features the Victoriana Stakes (Race 6). First post time is 1PM. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

2 / Ellan Vannin / Jerome Lermyte / Tony M. Gattellaro

3 / Financial Recovery / David Moran / Catherine Day Phillips

4 / Enstone / Patrick Husbands / Mark Casse

5 / Mythical Mission / Eurico Rosa da Silva / Malcolm Pierce

6 / Crumlin Queen / Gary Boulanger / Mike Doyle

7 / Inflexibility / Luis Contreras / Chad Brown