Woodbine roundup: Patches O’Houlihan is hurt during victory

Patches O’Houlihan drifted out down the lane but managed to come out on top Saturday in the Grade 2, US$171,337 Highlander Stakes on the turf at Woodbine.

The victorious bay gelding was pulled up by jockey Sofia Vives after the race and was found by veterinarians to have suffered an unspecified soft-tissue injury. He was back at his barn resting comfortably, according to a social-media post from track management Saturday evening.

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Vives wasted no time putting Patches O’Houlihan ahead of the pack in the six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up contested over a course listed as good. My Boy Prince and Old Chestnut picked up the pursuit through a spirited opening quarter-mile in 22.13 seconds.

It still was Canada’s reigning horse of the year calling the shots through a half-mile in 44.36 seconds, but the multiple graded-stakes-winning son of Reload out of Silent Name mare Maythefourthbwithu began to drift out coming off the turn for home. Patches O’Houlihan continued to drift toward the grandstand as My Boy Prince commenced a furious inside rally and began to cut into the lead.

Clinging to a head lead at the stretch call, Patches O’Houlihan, bred and owned by Frank Di Giulio Jr., held on for an eventful neck score with a time of 1:08.39. My Boy Prince was three lengths clear of Dresden Row for second. Playmea Tune was fourth. Its Time to Shine and Ms. Tart were scratched.

Now 13-1-0 from 16 starts, the 5-year-old trained by Canada Hall of Fame inductee Bob Tiller, has won six of his last seven starts. He was scratched from a spot in the starting gate for the Jacques Cartier Stakes on May 31 after spiking a fever.

Patches O’Houlihan paid $3.60 for the Highlander win.

Ocean Club ships and wins Nassau

Ocean Club made her second trip to Canada a memorable one courtesy of an impressive performance on the turf in the one-mile, US$132,081 Nassau (G2) for older fillies and mares.

After a fourth in last year’s Trillium (G3) at the Toronto oval, Ocean Club, under an astute ride from Vives, made her return trip a winner’s circle trip at odds of 12-1.

Making her first appearance on the Woodbine turf, the chestnut mare broke sharply and took over the proceedings strides out of the gate. The well-traveled 5-year-old held a one-length lead over Sweet Rebecca through an opening quarter-mile in :23.22 seconds. Ms. Tart, who won last month’s Royal North Stakes (G3) at 70-1, Caitlinhergrtness and Ready to Jam all kept close tabs on the pacesetter.

An unfettered Ocean Club, trained by Tom Proctor, still was firmly in control after a half-mile in :46.00 seconds and then dug in for the challenge of Sweet Rebecca to her outside and an inside surge from Caitlinhergrtness as they straightened for home.

With less than 200 yards to go, Ocean Club found another gear and set sail for the wire. Ready for Shirl burst between rivals, and Blueberry Fields also surged late, but Ocean Club easily held on to beat second-place Ready for Shirl by three-quarters of a length.

Blueberry Fields, at 61-1, was a further head back in third. Austere was fourth. The final time over good ground was 1:33.62.

“We ran a good fourth last year,” Vives said of last year’s Trillium Stakes effort. “I think we were beaten only a length. Today I thought put her where she is going to be comfortable. The turf was playing pretty speed-favoring. She broke sharp, and she was up there with her ears forward and very comfortable. She ran home, and she was pretty game.”

A homebred for Glen Hill Farm, Ocean Club is a daughter of Curlin out of War Front mare Theatre Star and is 20: 6-3-4. She paid $27.80 for the Nassau victory.

Funtastic Again makes all in Dominion Day

Funtastic Again, under Victor Espinoza, went straight to the front and never looked back in the US$158,100 Dominion Day Stakes (G3).

Sent off as the 7-2 second choice in the event for older horses, the multiple graded-stakes-placed 5-year-old made his first start at Woodbine and earned his first graded-stakes victory in the 1 1/8-mile, synthetic-track tilt.

Funtastic Again, trained by Wesley Ward, glided to the lead with ease and reached the opening quarter in 24.05 seconds followed by betting favorite Essex Serpent and Bail Us Out.

It was status quo among the lead trio after a half-mile in 48.53 seconds as Essex Serpent kept close tabs on the pacesetter and prepared to engage into the turn for home. Funtastic Again, looking like he had plenty left in reserve, kicked away from Essex Serpent and held a 2 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call.

Stanley House picked up the chase and closed with vigor but could not collar Funtastic Again, who emerged three-quarters of a length on top. Bail Us Out was third, a neck clear of Essex Serpent. The final time was 1:49.28.

Ward’s pre-race instructions were simple. “Just win the race,” said Espinoza, who was aboard the chestnut horse for the first time. “Basically, he said (Funtastic Again) prefers to go to the front, but he can rate a little bit in behind, too. He ran an amazing race. I was just cruising with him. I was just attached to his back, and that’s all I had to do.”

With the victory, the son of Funtastic out of Broken Vow mare Repeta is 13: 5-2-2. After a seventh to launch his career at Belmont Park on July 1, 2022, he broke his maiden over one mile on the main track at Saratoga on Aug. 27.

Bred in Kentucky by BHMFR, Funtastic Again is owned by Three Chimneys Farm. He was a $60,000 purchase at the November 2020 Keeneland breeding-stock sale.

Last year’s runner up in the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1), Ocean Club returned $9.60 for the Dominion Day win.

Mansetti bounces back to take Marine

Mansetti rebounded from a tough outing with a stellar showing in the US$128,502 Marine (G3).

After a troubled fifth-place finish in his previous start, the Queenston Stakes on June 8, Mansetti got back on the winning track and in doing so stamped himself as a top contender for the 166th running of the King’s Plate on Aug. 16 at Woodbine.

War Signal flexed early speed to seize control steps out of the gate into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, the filly holding a half-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in 24.05 seconds. Mansetti, a son of Collected who was ridden by Pietro Moran, was part of the second flight along with Sedburys Ghost and Scorching.

On top by two lengths after a half-mile in 48.85 seconds, War Signal, third in last year’s Shady Well Stakes, was then confronted by Mansetti, who glided up on the outside to engage the pacesetter coming off the turn for home.

As the field straightened for the sprint to the wire, Mansetti marched to the front and was then kept to task by Moran as Scorching and 6-5 choice Megalodon looked to reel in their rival.

A head on top at the stretch call, Mansetti crossed the wire a one length-winner with a time of 1:45.00. Scorching, back off a ninth-month layoff, finished a half-length ahead of Megalodon for second. Sedburys Ghost was fourth.

Trained by Kevin Attard for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling, the bay colt is 7: 4-0-0 including stakes scores in this year’s Woodstock and the 2024 edition of the Clarendon.

The King’s Plate is definitely on the radar.

“He’s earned his way into that race now off of this win,” Attard said. “So it’s nice to see today kind of come together and take that next step. ... He’s really mentally matured a lot, and he’s always shown a lot of talent. Just been kind of one good race, one bad race. Unfortunately last time he lost all chance at the break, so I think you can just draw a line through it. And today the race unfolded really well. Pietro sat a great trip, gave him a good ride, and we were lucky to hang on.”

Serendipity leads early, finishes 1st in Selene

Serendipity, making her first stakes appearance, put on a front-running masterclass to take the US$111,179 Selene (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.

Sent on her way as the 5-2 second choice in the field of eight, Serendipity with Rafael Hernandez in the irons was sent to the lead steps out of the gate in the 1 1/16-mile, synthetic-track event. She took her rivals through an opening quarter-mile in 24.93 seconds.

On top by 1 1/2 lengths over Nata Trouble after a half-mile in 50.29 seconds, the daughter of Street Sense out of Medaglia d’Oro mare Cafe Belle drove clear around the turn for home en route to a well-measured, 2 1/2-length triumph in 1:45.22.

Tiz Her Money was second, Somethinabouther was third, and No Time was fourth.

“She’s a filly who always showed a lot of ability,” said Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods. “She is a beautiful mover. We thought she’d take to the Tapeta, and she sure did.

“As usual, Josie has done an incredible job with our horses, especially with the ones who come to her barn with a few races under their belt. She understands them quickly. We are excited for her future at Woodbine.”

It was the second score to go along with a runner-up effort from three starts for the bay filly owned by NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods.

“I think she’s an exceptionally nice filly,” Canada Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll said. “I know her connections all thought the same. It was their opinion she would take to the synthetic, and they were spot on. She’s come up here and done nothing but train well.”

Serendipity debuted in winning fashion, taking a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Gulfstream by 3 1/4 lengths March 23. She was second in a one-mile dirt race that originally was scheduled for the turf at Belmont at the Big A on May 9.

Bred in Kentucky, Serendipity was a $250,000 purchase at the September 2023 Keeneland yearling sale. She paid $7.90 for Saturday’s win.