Woodbine: Filo Di Arianna’s win highlights 5 graded stakes

Accomplished 8-year-old gelding Filo Di Arianna added another graded-stakes victory to his name with a win Saturday in the Grade 2, US$146,044 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine.

Contested at six furlongs on turf, Mark Casse trainee Filo Di Arianna and jockey Kazushi Kimura broke well to go forward and sat just off leader Step Forward, who carried the lead through the turn and into the stretch.

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The top pair kept separation on their rivals for a long portion of the homestretch. Step Forward showed plenty of grit to try and go the distance but could not hold off the powerful Filo Di Arianna, who overtook in the final sixteenth to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Witty, who got away fifth, finished strong to edge Step Forward for second, and the 8-5 favorite Oceanic finished fourth. The fractions were 23.72 and 46.40 seconds, and the final time was 1:09.75.

A Sovereign Award winner, Filo Di Arianna last raced in the Jaipur (G1) at Saratoga on June 8, finishing seventh. The eight-year-old is 4-for-4 on the Woodbine turf and 5 for 6 overall.

“He’s been fighting with really nice horses,” Kimura said. “Today I was more comfortable and confident. He’s a quality horse.”

Filo Di Arianna is a three-time graded-stakes winner for owners Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch. His career numbers read 16: 8-3-1 and US$527,816 earned. A $2 win ticket Saturday returned $6.30.

Implicated’s Canada debut is Nassau win

Making her first appearance in Canada, Implicated went the extra mile in the one-mile, US$127,788 Nassau (G2) for older fillies and mares.

Under jockey Declan Cannon, Implicated ran in mid-pack as multiple rivals scuffled for the early lead with Safeen emerging on the front end followed by the trio of Full Count Felicia, Dana’s Beauty and Fast as Flight, who broke outwardly from the outside post 10.

Full Count Felicia then took command and was a head in front of Safeen through an opening panel in 24.38 seconds over a turf course listed as good. The pacesetter held a half-length advantage over Dana’s Beauty through a half-mile in :47.13 seconds, and Implicated remained unhurried in fifth.

Implicated waited for her cue from Cannon, who had the 4-year-old daughter of Connect in third and primed to take aim at the leaders around the turn for home. The roan filly trained by Brendan Walsh struck the front near the top of the stretch and braced for the challenge of Fev Rover, Canada’s reigning horse of the year who looked to reel in her rival as did multiple graded-stakes winner Millie Girl.

At the wire Implicated was 1 3/4 lengths clear of Fev Rover, who fended off Millie Girl by a head. The final time was 1:35.50.

Owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Cambron Equine and Laura Leigh Stable, Implicated is 9: 5-0-1. Her biggest win prior to the Nassau came in November in the Pebbles Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. Implicated, who won at Churchill Downs on May 12 prior to Saturday’s score, paid $13.30 for the win.

Bred in Kentucky by Somewhere Stables in Kentucky, Implicated was a $125,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.

Essex Serpent dominates Marine Stakes

Essex Serpent through his name in as a serious King’s Plate contender with a strong victory against six 3-year-old rivals in the US$109,533 Marine Stakes (G3). The field that included four eligibles for the King’s Plate on Aug. 17 ran 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic main track Saturday in this year’s edition of the Marine.

Part of a Saturday stakes hat trick for trainer Mark Casse, Essex Serpent and jockey Patrick Husbands broke well to get away in second behind Babbo. Essex Serpent moved to the lead midway up the backstretch, cruised comfortably around the final turn and responded when called on to seal the victory.

Cameo Performance was positioned fourth turning for home and made a good stretch run to finish second by a length. Midnight Mascot was third, and Native Land was fourth. The fractions were 23.45, 47.14, 1:10.69, 1:36.00, and the final time was 1:43.03.

A son of Honor Code, Essex Serpent was making just his third career start Saturday after finishing second in Queenston Stakes on June 9 and winning a maiden special weight before that April 27. The Casse student quickly has proven to be a player among the Woodbine 3-year-olds for breeder and owner Manfred and Penny Conrad.

“I knew I was on the best horse,” Husbands said of Essex Serpent. “Sid (Attard’s) horse (Babbo) is a speed horse, and my horse comes with a sprint, and I could see what Sid’s jockey (Eswan Flores) was doing, and then by the five-eighths pole I could see him easing back, and I say hey, I’m driving a Jag, man.”

Husbands was reluctant to provide comment when asked about Essex Serpent’s King’s Plate chances.

“Let the horse talk,” he said.

Essex Serpent is 3: 2-1-0 with US$135,565 earned in his young career.

Paramount Prince perfects Dominion Day

Paramount Prince put on a perfect performance in the US$109,533 Dominion Day Stakes (G3). Sent off as the second choice in the event for older hores, the 2023 King’s Plate winner proved to be much the best against his eight rivals in the 1 1/8-mile tilt on the all-weather main track.

Paramount Prince was sent straight to the front by regular rider Patrick Husbands and led Stanley House by two lengths through an opening quarter in 24.83 seconds as Collective Force and Tyson, last year’s Dominion Day victor, sat third and fourth, respectively.

The Mark Casse trainee was a length in front of Stanley House through a half-mile in 49.47 seconds as Husbands, and the 4-year-old son of Society’s Chairman played catch-us-if-you-can as they headed into the turn for home.

Clear by 4 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, Paramount Prince glided to a 3 3/4-length triumph with a time of 1:49.35. A game Stanley House held second, long shot Wicked Django was third and Palazzi fourth.

Bred in Ontario by Erika Rusnak and owned by Gary Barber and Mike Langlois, Paramount Prince has a record of 11: 5-2-3. He returned $6.50 for the Dominion Day win.

Sabatini wins by 2 lengths in Selene

Sabatini under Sofia Vives stormed home to take the US$109,533 Selene Stakes (G3).

Waves of Mischief and Red Samurai vied for top spot steps out of the gate in the 1 1/16-mile, synthetic-track event for 3-year-old fillies with the former eventually securing the lead and then carving out an opening panel in 23.98 seconds. Sabatini, tucked in comfortably at the rail, watched the proceedings from third.

It was Waves of Mischief still on top through a half-mile in 47.62 seconds, but her lead dwindled soon after as her rivals closed in ahead of the turn for home. Vives had Sabatini rolling to the outside, but 2-5 choice Witwatersrand, Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2023, also was kicking into gear as the field straightened for the push to the wire.

Sabatini shrugged off the challenge and went on to notch a two-length score in a time of 1:43.07 and paid $11.40. Crevalle d’Oro rallied for second, 3 ¼ lengths ahead of stablemate Witwatersrand.

“It's such a good feeling to have such an honest, trying filly and a good barn backing us and great owners,” Vives said. “Hopefully, we can get many more together. ... I had a lot of confidence in this horse. I have a lot of confidence in the barn. And they always bring the horses over at 110 percent.”