Contreras pilots Inflexibility to victory in Wonder Where

Jockey Luis Contreras wrapped up a successful month of racing as he rode Inflexibility to victory in the $225,000 Wonder Where Stakes for Canadian-bred sophomore fillies on Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack.

Inflexibility took the third leg of the filly Triple Tiara, contested over 1-1/4 miles on the turf, with a gutsy effort wearing down race leader Enstone and Patrick Husbands in a course record time of 1:58.88, besting the 2:00.12 set by Forte Dei Marmi when taking the 2013 edition of the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes. 

Chad Brown trains the lightly raced Scat Daddy-Halo’s Verse filly for the Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence.

Enstone cleared Ellan Vannin (Jerome Lermyte) during the :23.52 opening quarter before Mythical Mission (Eurico Rosa da Silva) progressed to take second-place. As the field raced through a half in :47.20, Contreras had Inflexibility moving forward and gained third position on the outside.

Enstone continued to lead the way past three-quarters in 1:10.84 with Mythical Mission and Inflexibility looming. They were three-across turning for home and a battle to the wire ensued past the mile marker in 1:34.62. Enstone maintained the slight advantage through the stretch, but Inflexibility got up in time to score the half-length victory. Mythical Mission finished third.

“I had a big hold pretty much half of the way in the backstretch,” said Contreras, who was aboard the filly for the first time. “I didn’t want to get too close, I didn’t want to be too far. I didn’t want those horse to go without me.

“I got a perfect trip the whole way and she was pulling, she was pulling. She was really strong the whole way, I just had to ride hard to the wire because I thought I wasn’t going to go past the other horse, but once we hit the last sixteenth of the mile, she was more confident with herself on the lead.”

Unraced as a two-year-old, Inflexibility has blossomed into a stakes champion following a pair of third-place finishes in the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, and Queen’s Plate.  She now has two wins from five starts and earnings over $300,000.

For Contreras, the win was his 24th this month and fifth July stakes victory.

“It’s been great, I’m so happy right now. I love this job and I love what I’m doing and I hope to keep it up,” said Contreras, whose other July highlights include winning the Queen’s Plate with Holy Helena and the Prince of Wales Stakes with Cool Catomine.

Inflexibility, the 4-5 pari-mutuel favourite, paid $3.60, $2.50 and $2.10, combining with Enstone ($3.70, $2.50) for a $13.50 (7-4) exactor. A 7-4-5 triactor (Mythical Mission, $2.10 to show) was worth $11.50 and a $1 superfecta [7-4-5-6 (Crumlin Queen)] returned $55.85. Ghostly Presence and Ellan Vannin completed the order of finish. Financial Recovery was scratched.

Favourite Niigon’s Eclipse took the lead in the stretch and held off a pair of rivals by a neck to win the $125,000 Victoriana Stakes for Ontario-sired fillies and mares three years old and up contested on Sundayafternoon at Woodbine.

After being dismounted at the gate in the previous race, Patrick Husbands returned to action to guide Niigon’s Eclipse to her first stakes victory in 1:40.68 over 1-1/16 miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course for trainer Rachel Halden and owner/breeder Chiefswood Stable.

The popular four-year-old chestnut mare left from post 10 and raced outside in third-place as Miss Sea (Jesse Campbell) led the field with Hidden Turn (Eurico Rosa da Silva) pressuring by her side through the first three-quarters in :24.25, :47.57 and 1:11:61.

Turning for home, Niigon’s Eclipse made an aggressive bid for the lead and took over down the stretch with Flipcup (Luis Contreras) and Internal Bourbon (Alan Garcia) closing for second and third, respectively.  

“It was lucky leaving the gate since she was relaxed because she’s an aggressive filly so going down the back she stalked good, but the fight was on full out in terms of the far turn," said Husbands. “Down there, she started to get aggressive and I was like ‘oh, my God!’ So she dragged me to the lead and I was hoping nobody was going to come and catch me, but she fought on.”

Sent postward as the 2-1 wagering favourite following a third-place finish in the $100,000 Zadracarta, a seven-furlong sprint on July 17, Niigon’s Eclipse paid $6.10, $3.50, and $2.80 across the board.

“We thought she was doing so well and races sometimes for her are a bit hard to find, but we thought it was worth giving her a shot [in the Zadracarta] and she ran very credible, but definitely today’s distance was more suited for her,” commented Halden, who will be looking to keep Niigon’s Eclipse racing on the turf.

The Niigon-Eclipse Bay mare, who was also stakes placed in last year’s  $127,000 La Prevoyante Stakes (1 mile turf) and $150,000 Carotene Stakes (1-1/8 mile turf) at Woodbine, earned her fourth career win from 11 starts and boosted her bankroll to nearly $200,000.

Niigon’s Eclipse combined with Flipcup ($7.50, 5.40) for a $47.60 (10-1) exactor. A 10-1-2 triactor (Internal Bourbon, $4.30 to show) was worth $103.55 and $1 superfecta (10-1-2-5 [Miss Sea]) paid $393.90.