TORONTO, September 5, 2024 – This year’s edition of the Canadian Triple Tiara concludes with Sunday’s running of the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, at Woodbine. Set for 1 ¼ miles on the E.P. Taylor turf, the Wonder Where, for 3-year-old Canadian-bred fillies, drew seven starters, including a pair of Chiefswood Stables’ homebreds, Quality Presence and Saccharine. A daughter of Quality Road-Ghostly Presence, Quality Presence has a pair of thirds – coming in her past two starts – from seven races. Quality Presence training at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, the bay, who launched her career with back-to-back fifths over the E.P. Taylor course last August and September, has put together two solid outings leading into the Wonder Where. On August 3, Quality Presence finished a game third, missing top prize by a length in the ‘about’ 1 1/8-mile race on the E.P. Taylor. “She will get the distance, I am confident both her and Saccharine will,” said Robert Landry, Chiefswood’s general manager, who won 2,045 races over his Hall of Fame riding career. “You can see that Quality Presence is starting to hit her best stride. “This filly has put together two nice races in a row and is certainly heading in a good direction.” As is Saccharine. Saccharine training at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Last time out, under apprentice Pietro Moran, who will ride again on Sunday, the daughter of Noble Mission (GB)-Niigon’s Legacy rallied stoutly to finish second in the same race as her stablemate Quality Presence. After an awkward break, Saccharine regrouped and moved into fifth at the stretch call before closing to miss by a half-length. “Rachel [trainer, Halden] had planned for a while that this horse would run in the Wonder Where because it is a race that this horse is made for,” said Landry. “She has run too many good races not to give it a go.” The bay was fifth in her debut last September, and sixth in her next two starts, before a troubled ninth in her fourth test. Saccharine, 0-3-0 from seven starts, started her current string of strong efforts on June 1 when was second, at 21-1, in a 1 1/16-mile race over the Woodbine all-weather track. “Those past three starts have been very good,” said Landry. “Maybe with a little luck, some of those could have been wins, but she is learning and getting better and better.” The Wonder Where will mark the first stakes engagement for the Chiefswood sophomores. “I get to see them from a young age,” said Landry. “We could see that they had ability early, but a lot of our families take a while to develop. Right now, it seems like things are on the right track. “Rachel and Josie have both done a very good job with these fillies, and hopefully, we get to have a nice outcome on Sunday.” Kevin Hornsburger is the groom of Quality Presence. Mary-Anne Baumgartner is the groom of Saccharine. The race is named after champion filly Wonder Where, Canada’s 1959 Horse of the Year and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee. Kin’s Concerto, a Chiefswood Stables homebred, won this year’s Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois. Stormcast, trained by Mark Casse for K E M Racing Stable (who will contest the Wonder Where), took the second jewel of the Triple Tiara, the Bison City, on August 10. Sealy Hill, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2007, took all three Triple Tiara races in that same year. First post on Sunday’s 10-race card is 1:05 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and bet365.com. $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes (Race 9) Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – A Little Frisky – Justin Stein – Josie Carroll 2 – Saccharine – Pietro Moran – Rachel Halden 3 – Quality Presence – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll 4 – Vucchella – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard 5 – My Girl Della – Jose Campos – Kevin Attard 6 – Stormcast – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse 7 – Hurricane Clair – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
