Goodoldhockeygame, Zazinga Score at Woodbine

It was a breakthrough performance for the Bob Tiller trainee, earning his first-added money score in his first attempt to remain undefeated through two lifetime starts.

Seffeara, a track record setter on debut and winner of the Clarendon Stakes, set sharp splits of :22.51 and :45.29 in the six furlong 'Poly' sprint under pressure from Where's the Widget. 

A relaxed Goodoldhockeygame settled into fourth position under Patrick Husbands and waited patiently through the turn as Phil's Cocktail, the Simcoe Stakes champ, and Super Colerosa advanced to take on the pacesetter.

Husbands, racing in the two-path, worked to keep Goodoldhockeygame inside as the field straightened away, before angling to the rail to surge inside Seffeara en route to a 1 1/4-length victory.  Super Colerosa rallied for place, a head in front of a game Seffeara. Goodoldhockeygame covered six furlongs in 1:09.81.

Husbands, who guided Goodoldhockeygame to a similar driving score in the maiden breaker on August 24, was pleased with the effort from the Old Forester chestnut.

"Today, he laid off the speed and ran them down," said Husbands.

The victory marked the third stakes win of the meet for Di Giulio Jr. as owner, adding to previous wins by Sweater Weather in the Eternal Search and La Lorgnette, also under Tiller's tutelage.

Tiller believes that Goodoldhockeygame can only improve with maturity.

"I think he's still a green horse. I don't think we've seen his best. He should improve. He's a big long-striding colt and we've liked him from day one," said Tiller.

Goodoldhockeygame, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $75,000 in victory. 

He paid $8.20, $4.60 and $2.60, combining with Super Colerosa ($7.50, $3.20) for a $56.60 (2-6) exactor.  A 2-6-3 (Seffeara, $2.10) triactor was worth $152, while a $1 Superfecta [2-6-3-1 (Phil's Cocktail)] came back $135.30. The stewards deemed that Undercover Cat received an unfair start and was declared a non-starter.

Zazinga posted a powerful front-running performance to capture Saturday's $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes, at Woodbine.

The long-striding chestnut made her stakes debut a winning one, setting splits of :23.29 and :45.85 in the one-mile turf tilt for Ontario-sired sophomore fillies, opening up a 3 1/2-length lead at the top of the lane under Gary Boulanger en route to a smart score.

Regal Conqueror, sent to post as the 3-5 mutuel favourite, rallied for place over 10-1 shot Elgin. Zazinga, a 4 1/4-length winner, covered the mile in 1:33.43.

Trained by Steve Owens, the Head Chopper-Town Dance filly is a homebred for Owens and his wife Beverly Lewis-Owens. The victory marked the first stakes winner for Head Chopper.

Boulanger expected to make the pace in the compact six-horse field.

“We thought we could have the lead pretty easily if we wanted it,” Boulanger said. “The big thing with her is just getting her to relax. I know she went pretty quickly, but she did it really comfortably. When we got to the turn, I knew they were going to have to really run to get me. Turning for home, I picked her head up, and she got back underneath me again. I said I have a lot here, and she just kept going.”

Zazinga's form has improved dramatically since moving to the turf.  The chestnut made the first nine starts of her career on 'Poly' before breaking her maiden on August 8 over the Woodbine lawn.  Last time out, Zazinga stayed on gamely in a grassy 1 1/8-miles allowance to be third.

Zazinga banked $75,000 in victory, while improving her record to 3-0-3 from 12 attempts.

She paid $10, $3.50 and $2.50, combining with Regal Conqueror ($2.40, $2.10) for a $20 (6-4) exactor.  A 6-4-5 (Elgin, $2.70) triactor was worth $91.50.