Woodbine: Fillies and mares shine in 2 graded stakes Saturday

Six fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, will travel 1 1/16 miles on the main track in the Grade 3, US$109,464 Trillium Stakes.

Trainer Marty Drexler, who won the 2023 edition of the Trillium with Il Malocchio, sends out the duo of Literate and Veery.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

Literate, a 5-year-old daughter of Oscar Performance out of the Henrythenavigator mare Infanta Branca, will contest her third consecutive graded-stakes affair.

The bay mare, owned by C2 Racing Stable, was sixth in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs. She arrives at the Trillium off a fourth in the Belle Mahone (G3) at Woodbine on May 31.

“She is doing very, very well,” said Drexler, of Literate, who was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto. “She has had the opportunity to run on different surfaces, and we have tried a few different things, but at the end of the day, this is what she is best at: two turns on the synthetic.

“I really liked her in the race at Churchill, but she missed the break and it kind of got messed up from there. I think this is the best type of race for her. Hopefully, she gets the job done here. I think she is a very, very talented horse.”

Literate launched her career with a quarter of races at Gulfstream. She was second in her debut on Dec. 4, 2022, and broke her maiden in her fifth start, a two-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on June 22, 2024, doubling up one month later, also at the Toronto oval.

“She is a cool horse to be around,” said Drexler. “She is not full of personality, but she can be a little high strung at times. She is a hard trier, and she has a big, beautiful stride on her. Distance never seems to be an issue with her.

“She has enough quality, so we hope we can get her a stakes win that we feel she deserves.”

Drexler worked Literate, 14: 4-3-1 from 14 starts, three times in the lead up to the Trillium, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.0 over the Woodbine main track on July 19.

“I really like the way she is coming into this,” said the multiple graded stakes winning conditioner. “I have always liked her. The key is to have her come over to the paddock and be chill, which she did last time. She can get wound up at times, but if you can get her settled enough, she usually runs a really good race. And she is great right now.”

Literate was a $27,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Ned Hayes is the groom.

With a record of 29: 11-1-4, 7-year-old Veery will contest her first stakes race on Saturday.

The chestnut daughter of Giant Gizmo out of the Bertrando mare Roust ‘Em Bertie has been at the top of her game over her past five starts, fashioning three wins and a pair of thirds.

“She has been very impressive and deserves to be here,” said Drexler. “She is also doing great coming into this race.”

Veery, bred in Ontario by Dr. Rolph Davis, heads into the Trillium off a smart four-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on June 21.

The veteran mare turned a three-length advantage at the stretch call into a four-length win in 1:43.14.

“We raced her for $15,000 last year,” noted Drexler. “It wasn’t until we started stretching her out that it really brought the best out in her. She is just an incredible front-end horse. Once she gets the lead, she will go a long way. That last race, she was never in doubt. She was always the boss, and she kept going.

“It’s not to say she can’t win going shorter, but she seems to be at her best when she is the controlling speed, especially on the synthetic. She just runs so well on the front end.”

Veery launched her career with a fifth over six furlongs on the Woodbine main track on October 1, 2021.

Her breakthrough came in her fourth race, a 1 1/4-length triumph at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Toronto oval main track.

Drexler claimed the horse for $10,000 on behalf of David Rowbotham, Rodney Carpenter and Tony Boogmans, ahead of a starter-optional claiming win on Dec. 8, 2022.

“She is a real Cinderella horse,” said Drexler. “It took some time to get her to where we wanted her to be – and there have been some ups and downs along the way, but she is just a fighter.” 

Anthony Bend is the groom. 

Multiple graded stakes winner Fashionably Fab, 2024 King’s Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness, both trained by Kevin Attard, graded stakes placed For Flying and 2024 Ontario Damsel Stakes winner Ecstasy round out the field.

Boca Queen steps up to graded company in Ontario Colleen after impressive debut

Boca Queen, who turned heads after a stellar debut, steps up to the stakes ranks when she takes on eight rivals in Saturday’s US$109,464 Ontario Colleen (G3) at Woodbine. 

Bred by Flaxman Stables Ireland and owned by Repole Stable, the dark bay filly heads into the one-mile race over the E.P. Taylor turf for 3-year-old fillies off an authoritative 3 1/4-length win at seven furlongs over the E.P. Taylor on July 5.

Sent off as the 2-1 choice in the field of 11, Boca Queen hopped slightly at the start, but regrouped and settled mid-pack along the backstretch before ranging up three-wide at the three-eighths mark. Shifted out into the seven path at the quarter pole, she sped away from her rivals en route to the impressive win.

The daughter of Kingman out of the Big Bad Bob mare Bocca Baciata covered the distance in 1:20.32 over firm ground.

“Very impressed by that first start,” said Canada champion trainer Kevin Attard. “She had a little hop at the break, but she recovered quickly. I thought that was a good sign. She found her stride and looked comfortable the rest of the way. We were hoping she would run to her works, and she showed up in a big way. Obviously, you don’t know how things will go first time out, but she showed a lot of maturity and class that day.” 

The dark bay traveled four furlongs in 48.2 seconds over the Woodbine main track on July 19 ahead of the Ontario Colleen.

“She came out of it (first start) well and had a nice work on Saturday,” said Attard. “So, the hope is she can build off that first start and come back with a big effort this time. She definitely inspires confidence. Excited to see what the future holds for her.” 

Purchased for US$469,476 at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, Boca Queen is a half-sister to listed winner and US$909,609 Goffs November alumna Foniska.

Rhiannon Parkes is the groom.

Other starters include graded stakes winner Somethinabouther, multiple stakes placed Pretty Lavish and stakes placed It Ain’t Two.