Woodbine: Patches O’Houlihan, Mouffy, Truly Quality win stakes

Patches O’Houlihan, with Sofia Vives in the irons, was challenged early but fought on gamely down the lane to win Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

The six-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds and upward attracted a competitive field of 10, including Patches O’Houlihan, Canada’s reigning champion male sprinter.

Trained by Robert Tiller for owner and breeder Frank Di Giulio Jr., the bay gelding once again displayed his grit and gumption, this time on the E.P. Taylor turf.

In typical fashion, Patches O’Houlihan broke sharply from the gate, but was immediately engaged by Bring Theband Home, with the duo gaining some separation from their rivals through an opening panel in 22.67 seconds over good going.

The pacesetters continued their toe-to-toe tussle into the turn for home with little separating them.

Coming off the turn, Patches O’Houlihan and Bring Theband Home were still slugging it out, while Outlaw Kid, second choice on the tote board, commenced a spirited run.

Patches O’Houlihan, who had begun to drift out less than 250 yards from the wire, surrendered the lead to rail-riding Outlaw Kid before coming back on to gain the upper hand with less than 100 yards left en route to a 1 1/2-length win. Dhabab was second, a half-length ahead of War Bomber, who was a neck in front of Outlaw Kid.

The final time was 1:09.49.

“It's very nice to win for this team,” said Vives, Canada’s champion apprentice in 2023. “This horse was really something special today. It was his first time on the grass this year. He ran amazing. I mean, he just shows up every day and gives it his all. No matter what surface, he’s very special.

“Every time I ride him, we think maybe we could sit off speed today, but he hears us in the mornings, and he knows he’s faster than everybody, and he’ll prove everybody wrong."

It was the fourth win in as many starts on the campaign for the Ontario-bred, whose 2024 victories include a pair of Grade 3 triumphs, the Bold Venture and Vigil, in his past two engagements.

Patches O’Houlihan debuted in September 2022 and recorded a 4 1/2-length win at 5 1/2 furlongs over Woodbine’s all-weather track. From May 21, 2023, to Sep. 16, 2023, he won six straight races.

“He's a great horse,” said Tiller, who also campaigned champion sprinter and hall of famer Pink Lloyd. “I love him. Today was a huge thrill and relief more than anything, and he’s right up there with the rest of them. It's like saying, ‘Which kid do you like better?’ I’m not doing that. He’s wonderful. He’s been a blessing.”

With the Nearctic score, Patches O’Houlihan, sired by Reload out of the Silent Name mare Maythefourthbwithu, is now 13: 11-0-0.

He paid $6.30.

Mouffy scores in Dance Smartly

Mouffy gave jockey Vincent Cheminaux, trainer Jonathan Thomas and owner and breeder George Strawbridge Jr. a sibling turf-stakes double as she hung in gamely for a head victory in the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2).

But unlike her half-brother Truly Quality, who had kicked off the celebrations as the 9-5 choice in the Singspiel (G3) two races earlier, Mouffy was prevailing at a price of $30.80 while racing in a solid field of 12 fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles of good going on turf.

Truly Quality and Mouffy had another thing in common Saturday as they both came from well off the pace to prevail.

“With her, it was a little more expected,” said Thomas, who had watched Mouffy close from well back. “The other horse runs a little closer, and she was always traveling on the bridle.”

Long shots had been prominent in the early stages of the Dance Smartly, and Mouffy bided her time from near the back of the pack through fractions of 23.06 seconds, 47.60 and 1:11.85 but was rolling on the outside coming into the stretch.

“I thought there was a good pace, which she needs to kind of relax,” Thomas said. “And I thought Vincent did a great job of saving ground and then tipping out onto the part of the track that's probably a little firm, and it really helped accentuate her turn of foot."

Nadette, who had trailed the field, also finished very strongly to just miss giving trainer Neil Drysdale a Dance Smartly double as he sent out Miss Dracarys to take last year’s renewal.

Tax Implications finished third, 2 1/4 lengths back, but was demoted to fourth behind Fev Rover following a claim of foul by jockey Sahin Civaci, which was upheld by the stewards.

Fev Rover, Canada’s reigning horse of the year and headed for the auction ring in Kentucky this fall, finished gamely in her final race.

Millie Girl, who had loomed a serious threat on the inside around the final turn, ended fifth and was followed home by Mission of Joy, Princess Calla, Canisy, Queen Macha, Spansive, Sparkle Blue and Dolce Sopresa. The final time was 1:42.07.

Mouffy, a Kentucky-bred 5-year-old, got her first graded-stakes score in the Dance Smartly and bumping her record to 14: 6-4-0.

The bay had finished second in Santa Anita’s Buena Vista (G2) over one mile of good going at Santa Anita this spring and captured Aqueduct’s listed Perfect Sting under similar conditions two starts back.

In her most recent outing, Mouffy had finished a non-threatening ninth in the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

"Kentucky Downs is probably the one place you can forgive a horse for really not showing up,” Thomas said. “It was a little soft that day, hot. It was uncharacteristic for her to run like that, so we've, just gave it a pass and wanted to make sure we got her back on a good turf course.”

Thomas also pointed out the importance of Mouffy’s victory beyond the immediate moment.

“They better put the mare in bubble wrap,” said Thomas. “We've tried to resume build with her, because she's an Uncle Mo out of a really nice Smart Strike mare. And while we want to win races, we also want to make sure she earns her way into a broodmare band."

Truly Quality truly impressive in Singspiel

Truly Quality, rallying from well back after breaking from the outside post in the field of 13 under rider Vincent Cheminaud, was along in time for a three-quarter length victory in an exciting running of Saturday’s Singspiel Stakes (G3).

A homebred racing for George Strawbridge, Jr.’s Augustin Stable and trained by Jonathan Thomas, Truly Quality was making his graded stakes debut in the Singspiel but was the 9-5 favourite on the strength of his excellent current form capped out by a last-out victory in the 1 ½ mile Colonial Cup over 1 ½ miles of firm going at Colonial Downs.

"I had a bad draw today, so he was very lazy,” said Cheminaud. “When I pushed him a little bit, he gave me a good answer and took the beat for the end. He’s a nice horse. He was the best today."

Eyes On the King, breaking from post 11, assumed command early in the Singspiel and led the field through fractions of 24.97, 50.03, 1:15.28 and 1:40.09 with last-out Niagara Stakes winner Lac Macaza pressing just outside.

Highland Chief, Stone Age, Dancin in Da’nile and English Conqueror were all beginning to launch their bids around the final turn, however, and with a furlong to run it was Highland Chief in front by a head following an inside trip.

Truly Quality had found his best stride by this point and simply was too much for his game rivals.

English Conqueror prevailed in the battle for second money, ending a half-length to the good of Stone Age.

Dancing in Da’nile finished another 1 ½ lengths back in fourth, edging Highland Chief by a head as the winner stopped the clock in :2:17.47.

Lac Macaza finished sixth with Eyes On the King, Palazzi, Like the King, Spinzar, Eldon’s Prince, Dun Drum and Malibu Mambo completed the order of finish.

Palazzi, the defending champion in the Singspiel, took late money and went off as the second choice at 7-2.

Loose Wire was scratched.

Truly Quality, a Kentucky-bred 4-year-old gelding by Quality Road out of the Smart Strike mare, Truly Together, now has won four of 12 outings while finishing off the board only once.

Thomas, who also saddled 2021 Singspiel winner Corelli, lauded Truly Quality’s performance.

“We threw out the game plan because, it depended on how he broke,” said Thomas. “But I will say I was concerned about 90 percent of the race, but Vincent did a good job of not panicking, breaking a little slow, letting him gather some steam. I thought the horse overcame a pretty, pretty tough situation.

“I'd love to talk to the Strawbridges about maybe taking a real swing and going to Breeders’ Cup and then giving him the winter off and really trying to make him a Grade 1 horse.”