Nine fillies, including Kin’s Concerto, Hurricane Clair set to contest Bison City

TORONTO, August 7, 2024 – Kin’s Concerto, a daughter of Mendelssohn-Kincardine, will look to build off a spectacular Woodbine Oaks score in Saturday’s $250,000 Bison City Stakes at Woodbine.  

The Bison City, a 1 1/16-mile main track event that follows the Woodbine Oaks as the second leg of the Triple Tiara for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada, attracted a field of nine, including Chiefswood Stables homebred Kin’s Concerto, and stakes winner Hurricane Clair.

Sofia Vives, Canada’s reigning champion apprentice, has been aboard Kin’s Concerto in all but one of her five starts.

“Every race she’s in, she continues to improve and always gives it her best effort,” said Vives, of the filly whose record stands at 2-2-1, along with $291,255 (U.S.) in purse earnings. “What has impressed me the most was the way she was able to come off the bridle when sitting behind horses in the Oaks, but turning for home, she was game to catch all the horses in front of her.” 

Kin’s Concerto debuted last November at Woodbine, finishing second, but elevated to first, in a six-furlong main track race.

“She’s very nice,” said Robert Landry, Chiefswood General Manager, ahead of the Oaks. “I get to see them pretty much from birth right through their racing careers and beyond. She always showed us the signs that she had the ability. Josie [Hall of Fame trainer, Carroll] and her team have done a terrific job with her. Sofia has ridden her well too.”

Vives praised the filly’s composed nature on and off the racetrack.

“On the day of the race, she’s very calm and quiet in the paddock and post parade, as if she knows it’s game day. It’s everything that you would expect from a champion.”

Bred by Bru-Mel Stables Co., Hurricane Clair, sporting a record of 2-2-2 from eight starts, finished third in the Woodbine Oaks, where she rallied impressively from ninth to finish 1 ½ lengths behind Kin’s Concerto.

“I thought it was a great effort,” said Martin Drexler, who trains the daughter of Silent Name (JPN)-Hurricane Lorraine for David Rowbotham, Rodney Carpenter and Tony Boogmans. “We went into the race with the idea that we had a chance to win it. Getting jammed up on the first turn might have cost us, but that isn’t taking away anything from the winner and the second-place horse (Caitlinhergrtness, who will contest The King’s Plate on August 17).”

Hurricane Clair, who came into the Oaks off a 3 ¼-length victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine inner turf on June 23, has impressed Drexler in the leadup to the Bison City.

“Her performance in the Oaks just told me more and more that she really will get distance. If that was a question mark before, she gave us a strong answer.

“She is the greatest,” continued Drexler, who won a career-best 104 races in 2023 and was a finalist for the champion trainer Sovereign Award. “There are no headaches at all with her. Everything, knock on wood, is just about as perfect as you can get. She has good air, good legs, a good mind, she eats her food all the time – there is not a thing you can criticize with this filly, which is rare in this game.”

Hurricane Clair, who broke her maiden in last year’s Muskoka Stakes, will once again have leading rider Sahin Civaci in the irons.

“Sahin loves her,” said Drexler. “We are going into the race optimistically and if the trip works out, we can hopefully be right there.”

The $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Tiara, is scheduled for 1 ¼ miles on the E.P Taylor turf on September 8 at Woodbine. 

First post for Saturday is 1:05 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.  

$250,000 Bison City Stakes 

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer  

1 – My Girl Della – Jose Ortiz – Kevin Attard

2 – A Little Frisky – Justin Stein – Josie Carroll

3 – Dancing Duchess – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

4 – Ontario – Frankie Dettori – Josie Carroll

5 – Lunch With Bernie – Pietro Moran – Mark Casse

6 – Lookin to Conquer – Leo Salles – Martin Hinckson

7 – Kin’s Concerto – Sofia Vives – Josie Carroll

8 – Stormcast – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

9 – Hurricane Clair – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

Chris Lomon, Woodbine