Woodbine: Hazelbrook, Souper Hoity Toity headline Saturday

Canada’s 2022 champion female sprinter Hazelbrook will defend her victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, US$110,343 Ontario Fashion at Woodbine.

A six-furlong, main-track event for fillies and mares, the Ontario Fashion has attracted 11 starters.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

Trained by Lorne Richards with a 13: 6-2-2 record, Hazelbrook won last year’s race by three-quarters of a length as the 2-5 choice. Although winless from three starts with a sixth, a third and another sixth in her 5-year-old campaign, the daughter of Bayern who has had to contend with digestive complications throughout her racing career was said to be doing well ahead of the Ontario Fashion.

“With all the issues she’s had to deal with, she’s always gone out there and given a very honest effort,” Richards said. “There is no reason she can’t run well this weekend.”

Saturday’s race likely will be the final appearance for Hazelbrook, who is headed for the upcoming Keeneland sale on Nov. 7. Bred in Kentucky by Mike Bilbrey, she is hip 20 and listed as a racing or broodmare prospect.

“It’s been a tough journey for her,” Richards said. “She’s been a nice horse, and none of those issues were her fault. You feel bad she’s had to go through all that. I like her.”

Hazelbrook posted a 6: 4-2-0 mark last year en route to her Sovereign Award. Her 2022 triumphs also included stakes scores at 26-1 in the Hendrie (G3) and in the Sweet Briar Too.

Owned by True North Stable, she debuted with a third-place effort in a six-furlong, main-track race at Woodbine on Nov. 7, 2020, in her only start that year. Hazelbrook returned to racing the following September and proceeded to pull off two straight wins.

Richards, whose top horses have included Financingavailable, a multiple stakes winner who took the 2007 Ontario Fashion and is a three-time Sovereign Award recipient, graded stakes-placed Stormy Rush, stakes winner Dancingall Theway and graded stakes winner Sheila’s Prospect, is hoping Hazelbrook can come up with a big effort Saturday.

“I liked her from the very start,” Richards said. “The only thing is that she’s very quirky. She has had those issues with her digestive system for a while, so that’s something we’ve had to monitor closely. The clinic in Guelph (Ontario) told me it’s kind of like colitis. It’s something where you have to take it day by day, but there’s no denying she has plenty of talent. She can be high-strung, so we do our best, but I’m not going to complain. She shows up every time.”

Multiple graded-stakes winner Our Flash Drive, graded-stakes victors Ready to Venture and Loyalty and stakes winner Spun Glass also were entered for Saturday’s race.

Souper Hoity Toity fits course in Matron

Already a two-time Grade 3 winner on the Woodbine synthetic, 4-year-old Souper Hoity Toity comes back from more than two months on trainer Mark Casse’s bench to race against 11 other fillies and mares Saturday in the US$110,343 Ontario Matron (G3).

Owned by Live Oak Plantation and ridden by Patrick Husbands, the daughter of Uncle Mo The 1 1/16-mile race was promoted from third to second last out in a bumpy running of the Trillium (G3) on July 23 over the same course and distance as the Matron.

Il Malocchio, who won the Trillium, and Angelou, who was disqualified from second to third, also are back for Saturday’s race. Seaway (G3) runner-up Millie Girl and Ellis Park Turf Stakes victor Mouffy and fourth-place Flower Bowl (G2) finisher Tamarama also were entered.