Woodbine: Les Reys leads Clément exacta in Ontario Fashion

France-bred Les Reys bested stablemate Gal in a Rush to deliver trainer Miguel Clément a one-two finish in the Grade 3, US$107,544 Ontario Fashion Stakes for fillies and mares Saturday at Woodbine.

Biles and Girl of My Dreams matched strides soon after the start of the six-furlong, synthetic-track event. Biles, who was bred in Ireland, held a head advantage through an opening quarter-mile in 23.21 seconds. Rafael Hernández aboard Les Reys tucked the 4-year-old filly into fifth along the rail in the early going.

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The pacesetting duo continued to scrap it out beyond the half in 46.60 seconds while Les Reys, at this point fourth, appeared to be full of run waiting for a seam to open. That came seconds after the field straightened for home.

A half-length ahead at the stretch call, Les Reys had only to fend off multiple graded-stakes winner Gal in a Rush for the final 150 yards.

Les Reys did just that, crossing the wire three-quarters of a length clear of Gal in a Rush. It was another two lengths back to third-place Girl of My Dreams. Golden Canary finished fourth.

The final time was 1:10.42.

It was the latest Woodbine stakes success story for Clément, who won the Dance Smartly (G2) with Great Britain-bred Breath Away on Oct. 4. ? He nearly doubled up on the day as Tawny Port came within a nose of victory, finishing second in the Canadian International (G1).

“(Clément) called me today, and he told me, ‘Rafi, just get a good break, and try to cover up a little bit, and at the top of the lane, just try to find a way out of there, and do the best you can,’ ” Hernández said. “You can see today I just covered up all the way. We had a good trip and held our position. When it was time to go, we split horses, and she did the rest.” ? 

Les Reys’s first North America start yielded a win in the 2024 Winter Memories Stakes, a one-mile, inner-turf test for sophomore fillies at Belmont at the Big A. She launched her career in France, where she won 3 of 7 starts.

The daughter of Penny’s Picnic out of Verglas mare Allegria won the Prix Volterra at Longchamp in June 2024 for previous trainer Didier Guillemin.

Bred in France by Athanase Poulopoulos and Haras du Hoguenet, Les Reys is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Peter Leidel and Winters Equine.

Now 12: 5-1-0, Les Reys $10.30 for the Ontario Fashion win.

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