Woodbine Oaks: Kevin Attard has 5 in oversubscribed field

Trainer Kevin Attard will have five chances to win his third Woodbine Oaks, one of four stakes on Saturday’s 11-race card at Woodbine.

Inaugurated in 1956, the filly classic, which has attracted 14 Canadian-foaled 3-year-old fillies carrying 121 pounds over 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather track, will go postward at 5:33 p.m. EDT.

Saturday’s card also features the Plate Trial Stakes, a key race ahead of The King’s Plate on Aug. 17, the Connaught Cup (G2) and Trillium Stakes (G3).

After winning the 2021 Oaks with eventual Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Munnyfor Ro and the following year’s edition with King’s Plate winner and Canada’s 2022 horse of the year Moira, Attard will send out the quintet of Caitlinhergrtness, Inudation, My Girl Della, Vucchella, and War Painter in this year’s running.

“It’s a race you hope to win once, and we have been fortunate to have done it twice,” Attard said. “When you look back at the great fillies and horse people who have won the Oaks, it makes the achievement even more special.”

Caitlinhergrtness, a daughter of Omaha Beach-Belatrix, brings a record of 5: 2-0-1 into her biggest test to date. The chestnut filly last raced two weeks ago, a 2 3/4-length score at 7 1/2 panels over the inner turf.

In her rookie campaign, she won a one-mile dirt race at Aqueduct and finished fourth in the Tempted Stakes in November.

“She is extremely versatile in her ability to run well on different surfaces and distances,” Attard said. “She ran a great one last time out and even though it’s a short time between races, she has given us every indication she can step up once again.”

Inudation broke her maiden in last year’s Princess Elizabeth Stakes. The daughter of Collected-Tidal Surge, sent off at 12-1, rallied to win the 1 1/16-mile main track event by a head.

The bay filly was seventh in her 3-year-old debut, a 1 1/16-mile engagement contested over the Woodbine main track June 22.

“We were hoping to build off her great rookie season and it hasn’t gone as we anticipated,” Attard said.

“That said, we did lose some time with her. She has the ability and the skills to come up with a big one on Saturday.”

Inudation has a record of 5: 1-2-0.

My Girl Della, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro-Katie Baby, broke her maiden in the first start of her sophomore season June 1 and has a record of 5: 1-1-1.

Owned by John Fielding, the bay filly arrives at the Oaks off a fourth at 1 1/16 miles on the Toronto oval main track.

“We like her a lot too,” Attard said. “I thought her maiden win was very professional. Her latest race was OK, and we think she can definitely improve off that one.

“There is a lot to like about her and we are expecting a strong showing on Saturday.”

Vucchella has yet to reach the winner’s circle in six starts but has a pair of seconds and two thirds to her name.

The dark bay debuted last August at Woodbine and finished fourth.

The daughter of Bernardini-Heartofthematter has reeled off three straight top-three finishes.

“She’s a maiden, but her last race, her first 3-year-old start, was encouraging,” said Attard. “She has reached the podium in four of her six starts, so she has been very consistent.

“It would not be a surprise at all to see her come up big in the Oaks. She looks like she could have a bright future.”

War Painter has assembled a 7: 2-3-1 record.

The consistent daughter of Danish Dynaformer-Morning Tale contested five races, three of them stakes, in her 2-year-old season. Her biggest win came in the 2023 Victoria Queen Stakes last September.

War Painter missed by a nose in her 3-year-old debut, but came back to win her next start, a 1 1/16-mile trek on the Woodbine main track on June 6.

“We like her a lot," Attard said. "We always have. She has been a bit frustrating, but she had a very nice work with (2022 Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate winner) Moira, which obviously was extremely encouraging.

“She definitely has the talent, and the distance is absolutely in her wheelhouse.”

A Little Frisky, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, has compiled a 4: 1-1-1 record.

Trained by Tom Amoss, Ba Dee Yah brings a 7: 2-0-2 mark into the Oaks. The daughter of Uncle Mo-Pearl Turn will make her first start outside of the U.S.

Bravo Kate has a line of 6: 1-1-1. The daughter of Congrats-Katie O. is trained by Sid Attard, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013.

“She is a very nice filly who always tries hard,” said Attard, who won the 2002 Oaks with Ginger Gold. “She is coming into the race in good order.”

Holiday in Jail, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Bob Tiller, has a record of 4: 1-1-1. The daughter of Catholic Boy-In Jail will make her first stakes appearance on Saturday.

Hurricane Clair has a record of 7: 2-2-1. Trained by Martin Drexler, the daughter of Silent Name-Hurricane Lorraine broke her maiden in last year’s Muskoka Stakes.

“We liked her from the start,” said Drexler, who won a career-best 104 races in 2023 and was a finalist for the champion trainer Sovereign Award. “She is a nice, honest, straightforward 3-year-old filly, who is doing everything right. She belongs here.”

Hurricane Clair heads into the Oaks in winning form.

On June 23, the bay drew off for a 3 1/4-length victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine inner turf.

Drexler, who is closing in on 750 career wins, expects another big effort on Saturday.

Jockey Civaci “Sahin is sticking with her, which is reassuring, and I think the distance and all-weather track won’t be issues at all," Drexler said. "She ran a very strong race on it in the Princess Elizabeth last year, she finished fourth but was disqualified, and she is a much better horse right now.

“My biggest thing with her is that she is very professional. You can lead her over on the big day and she will be calm. She can handle everything that comes on race day. Some of the young fillies can lose the race in the paddock and on the way over. She holds it all together and runs her race every time.”

Kin’s Concerto, 4: 1-2-1 and trained by Josie Carroll, won at first asking last November at Woodbine. The chestnut filly by Mendelssohn out of Kincardine was second in her latest start.

“I'm excited to ride Kin’s Concerto,” said jockey Sofia Vives, the 2023 Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s champion apprentice. “Her athletic ability has always shined. I am grateful to the connections for this amazing opportunity. Hopefully, we can work out a trip because the distance shouldn’t be an issue.”

A daughter of Lookin At Lucky-Regal Conqueror, Lookin to Conquer, trained by Martin Hinckson, is 3: 1-0-1The bay broke her maiden in her second start, and 3-year-old debut, on May 31.

Lunch With Bernie was third in her first stakes affair, the Fury, on June 8. The daughter of Bernardini-Lunch Hour won her first race in the final start of her 2-year-old campaign. Trained by dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, the dark bay is 8: 1-1-2.

Trained by Harold Ladouceur, Shamans Girl won her debut, the Shady Well Stakes, last December at Woodbine. The daughter of Shaman Ghost-Ginger Brew is 4: 1-0-0, with three starts at the Toronto oval and the other at Laurel Park this February.

Beautiful Sky, on the also-eligible list, is trained by Mike De Paulo. The daughter of Sky Mesa-Another Flashback has a record of 4: 0-1-1.

The Woodbine Oaks is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, which continues at the Toronto oval with the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes on Aug. 10 and concludes with the Wonder Where Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf Sept. 8.