100 + 350 = 2 major milestones
With his win aboard Our Flash Drive in Saturday’s Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes, Patrick Husbands earned his 100th graded stakes victory and 350th stakes score overall. Our Flash Drive, trained by Mark Casse, and bred and owned by Live Oak, is now 6-3-1 from 15 starts.
Winner’s circle weekend
Multiple graded stakes winning champion rider Emma-Jayne Wilson won five races over Saturday and Sunday, including a pair with trainer Paul Buttigieg on Saturday. In race six, Wilson teamed with Livin on Luv for the victory. One race later, she delivered again, this time with Ol’ Blondie. She recorded a hat trick for three different trainers on Sunday.
Hot start
Trainer Catherine Day Phillips is off to a strong beginning at the 2023 Woodbine meet. In nine starts, the multiple graded stakes winning conditioner has a record of 4-1-1. Rapid Test gave Day Phillips her most recent winner, the victory coming on Saturday.
Time to shine
Trainer Steven Chircop continues to hold a hot hand. On Sunday, he earned two golds and a bronze when Silent Ghost and Aim for the Sky won their respective races, while Simple Souvenir finished third behind the former in the fourth race. Chircop is well on pace to best his career-high marks from 2022 when he won 29 races and posted nearly $1 million (U.S.) in purse earnings.
Worth repeating
“You come here, and people treat you with respect and you work hard and get it. It pays off in the long run.” – Patrick Husbands, on his stakes milestones.
Worth watching
Anarchist wreaked havoc on his rivals in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes on Sunday, pulling away from his rivals down the lane to get the win for jockey Luis Contreras, trainer Josie Carroll and owner Ilium Stables.
Worth knowing
Up next on the Woodbine stakes schedule is the $100,000 Ruling Angel (for 3-year-old fillies, at seven furlongs over the Tapeta) on Saturday. The $100,000 King Corrie (for 3-year-olds, at seven furlongs on the Tapeta) takes centre stage on Sunday.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @woodbinecomms
