Woodbine: Queen Macha is among 11 going Saturday in Seaway

A field of 11 fillies and mares will travel seven furlongs on the synthetic track in Saturday’s Grade 3, US$99,907 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine.

Queen Macha, a 5-year-old daughter of Keen Ice, has constructed a record of 25: 4-5-6 to go along with US$211,506 in purse earnings.

Trained by Martin Drexler for owner C2 Racing Stable, the gray mare will contest her second straight stakes event after a third in the Sweet Briar Too last time out.

Sent off at 17-1 in the six-furlong race run over firm turf, Queen Macha rallied from seventh at the stretch call to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner.

Drexler lauded the effort.

“It wasn’t the ideal trip because of traffic, but she still ran great,” he said. “She has that ability to come running in the stretch, and she showed it that day.”

Bred by Calumet Farm, Queen Macha launched her career Sept. 10, 2021, at Gulfstream Park and finished second.

Her next seven starts, all at Gulfstream, yielded another runner-up effort, a pair of thirds and four consecutive fourth-place results.

From Feb. 2 to Sept. 29, 2022, a stretch of nine races, she finished fourth on eight occasions. Queen Macha’s breakthrough win came at Delaware Park during that time frame in her 10th lifetime start July 2, 2022.

In all, she has finished outside the top four only twice, including an 11-place result in early March and a seventh this June.

“I felt like she was going to do well,” said Drexler, whose first start as Queen Macha’s trainer resulted in a win May 4 at Woodbine. “She is a big, big horse, and early on we were looking to find what the best fit for her was in terms of the ideal distance.

“She got out a little bit on the turns, which we were able to sort out fairly quickly, and it hasn’t been an issue. She has been a nice horse to have.”

Queen Macha’s most recent trip to the winner’s circle came one race prior to the Sweet Briar Too on July 6, when she rallied for a three-quarter-length tally at seven furlongs on the Woodbine synthetic.

“It was a great effort,” Drexler said. “I think going forward she is going to be a very good turf horse going seven-eighths to a mile. That said, she is very genuine and has shown she is more than capable on the (synthetic) track. She tries hard and has the ability. 

“I wouldn’t say she has been a surprise, but we are very happy with her, and I think there is a lot to look forward to with her. She is not difficult in any way. Just a very nice horse.” 

Saturday’s first post is at 1:05 p.m EDT. The Seaway is listed as race 10 at 5:52 p.m. EDT.