Mother Nature made her presence felt at Woodbine on August 10, where brisk winds and cooler temperatures influenced the dynamics of the races. Both stakes events saw front-runners take command, showcasing the advantages of speed on this blustery day.
Stormcast, while eligible for both the Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate, opted for a prep race leading into the Bison City Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Tiara for fillies. Masterfully trained by Mark Casse and expertly ridden by Patrick Husbands, Stormcast took the lead early and maintained her advantage throughout the 1 1/16 miles, crossing the finish line with an impressive 7 3/4-length triumph, earning $150,000 of the $250,500 purse. The final time was clocked at 1:43.25.
Bred by Dr Tan Hyka in Hillsburgh, Ontario, and owned by KEM Racing Stables, Stormcast’s unique journey includes being sold for $40,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November sale and later fetching $95,000 at the 2023 Ocala March 2-year-old in training sale. The daughter of Mitole, out of the stakes-winning mare Scolara, demonstrated her speed despite fading in earlier races this season. In this race, she skillfully navigated the winds with ease, leaving her rivals struggling to keep up.
Hurricane Clair, who finished second in the Oaks, chased her closely but could only hold off Dancing Duchess, who completed the top three. The Oaks victor, Kin’s Concerto, struggled to find her rhythm and finished in seventh place.
In the Canadian Stakes (G2), Full Count Felicia also took an early lead and never looked back, winning by 3 1/4 lengths at odds of 5 to 2. Trained by Kevin Attard and ridden by Rafael Hernandez, she clocked a time of 1:48.69 over a soft turf that had absorbed recent rains.
Previously trained by Chad Summers and Brittany Russell, Full Count Felicia has consistently demonstrated her prowess on the track, including notable wins last year in the Grade 3 Suwanee Rover Stakes and the All Along Stakes. After a brief hiatus and a lacklustre sixth place in the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay, her return in Ontario saw her finishing fourth in the Nassau Stakes (G2) before this recent victory.
Owned by Al Gold’s Gold Square LLC, she has six wins from 17 starts, yielding earnings of $458,298. Attractively bred, Full Count Felicia is a daughter of War Front and has a lineage that includes Group 1 winners, hinting at her potential to perform exceptionally in future stakes, particularly the upcoming E.P. Taylor Stakes.
Saturday’s card also featured a series of other front-running victories, including:
- Chipotle Pepper: Won her maiden race by 5 1/2 lengths for Box Arrow Farm and Gold Colbourne.
- Rock to Fame: Dominated a claimer race for Natural Eight Stakes.
- Get My Drift: Strengthened trainer Bill Tharrenos's numbers with a clear win in race six.
- Classy Partner: Debuted effectively under trainer Kelly Callaghan, showcasing the potential for future races.
- Kitty's Speedy Starr: Made an impressive return after a lengthy absence, rolling to victory in the final race of the day.
The combination of determined front runners and favourable conditions led to a thrilling day of racing at Woodbine, with fans eagerly anticipating what’s next for these leading competitors.