Sparkles' Girl Rallies to Emphatic Score in Ontario Lassie

Sparkles' Girl, patiently piloted by Emma-Jayne Wilson, rallied to an emphatic score in Saturday's $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes, at Woodbine.

Trained by John Charalambous for owner C.E.C. Farms, Sparkles' Girl settled well off the early speed of Shining Star through splits of :24.59 and :49.52 before angling off the rail late in the final turn en route a three-length score. A rail-skimming Garavogue Colleen arrived for second money in front of a late-running Zermatta.  

Sparkles' Girl, sent to post at odds of 4-1 in the 1 1/16-mile 'Poly' route for Ontario-bred juvenile fillies, stopped the clock in 1:45.82.

The bay daughter of Society's Chairman-Trusted was making her first start around two turns after hitting the board in three of four sprint starts including a first-out win going six furlongs in a maiden allowance tilt. Freshened after a sixth-place run in the Muskoka Stakes, Sparkles' Girl came back to be a good third in the Victorian Queen and was a driving second last time out, on November 6, in an allowance sprint won by stablemate, and Ontario Lassie rival, Miss Forester.

Charalambous was pleased with the big effort from Sparkles' Girl in her first attempt routing.

"She tries hard every time," said Charalambous. "The question we had a month ago was whether she rounded off her last race where she rated and couldn’t beat her entry mate. But, she rated kindly (last time out) and I thought she'd move on and she did today."

Sparkles Girl provided young sire Society's Chairman, who stands at Shannondoe Farm and has 19 juveniles in his first crop, with another stakes winner at Woodbine joining filly Caren who captured the Shady Well, Nandi, Victorian Queen and Princess Elizabeth as well as finishing third in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes this season.

Bred in Ontario by Spring Farm, Sparkles' Girl banked $90,000 in victory while improving her record to 2-1-1 from five starts.

She paid $10.60, $4.90 and $3.40, combining with Garavogue Colleen ($3.30, $3) for a $29.10 (7-1) exactor. A 7-1-4 triactor (Zermatta, $16.10 to show) was worth $509.20, while a $1 Superfecta [1-8-3-6 (Hey Bear)] came back $2107.40. 

Amis Gizmo stamped himself a leading contender for the 2016 Queen's Plate with a powerful performance in Saturday's co-featured $125,000 Kingarvie Stakes, at Woodbine.

Trained by Josie Carroll for owner-breeder Ivan Dalos, Amis Gizmo arrived at the 1 1/16-mile 'Poly' route for Ontario-sired juveniles on a three-race win streak, all in added-money events, having sprinted to victories in the Simcoe, Bull Page and Frost King Stakes to start his career.

The Giant Gizmo-Galloping Ami chestnut, sent to post at odds of 2-5, would not disappoint in his two-turn debut putting in a tremendous front-running effort, dueling with Conquest Cavalry through splits of :23.38 and :46.39 well clear of a stalking group of five hopefuls in the eight-horse field.  Aye Aye Captain, undefeated in two starts, trailed the field into the first turn but slowly picked up ground down the back straight under leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva.

Amis Gizmo, having put away Conquest Cavalry into the final turn, enjoyed a brief breather before again picking up the pace to hold off a rallying Aye Aye Captain for a 1 3/4-length win. Aye Aye Captain kept on for place, 3 ¾-lengths in front of Conquest Cavalry.  Amis Gizmo covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.64.

Contreras, aboard for all four starts, continues to be impressed by the undefeated colt who refused to stand down from the pressing Conquest Cavalry.

"He had a lot of speed early and was fighting with the horse beside me. I tried to make him relax as much as possible, but he was fighting with the horse beside him," said Contreras. "By the half-mile I was by myself on the lead, and I tried to let him relax so I had a little more kick at the end."

Dalos has developed a star-studded crop of juvenile horses this season, unveiling homebred stakes winning juvenile fillies Gamble's Ghost and Ami's Mesa.  Gamble's Ghost captured the Grade 3 Mazarine on October 4, while the undefeated Ami's Mesa captured the Glorious Song last weekend.

"It's been a dream year. Four starts, four stakes, four wins (for Amis Gizmo). You can't ask for much more than that," said Dalos. 

Amis Gizmo, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $75,000 in victory, while remaining undefeated in four starts.