by Bob Ehalt
J’ray found Woodbine’s long stretch to her liking on Sunday as she closed from last in the field of 11 to capture the $287,198 Canadian Stakes (Can-G2) by a length.
Lawrence Goichman’s homebred five-year-old mare posted her second straight graded stakes victory, following a last-to-first win in the Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) on August 3 at Monmouth.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Joe Bravo, J’ray collared 15.80-to-1 shot Callwood Dancer (Ire) leaving the sixteenths pole and crossed the finish line in 1:51.86 for 1 1/8 miles on Woodbine’s one-turn E. P. Taylor turf course.
Callwood Dancer finished second, two lengths in front of Diana Handicap (G1) winner Forever Together, the 4-to-5 favorite, who rallied mildly to grab third.
“This filly gives 110% every time she runs. I knew she was going to run well,” said Pletcher’s assistant, Ginny DePasquale. “Joe (Bravo) gave her the perfect trip. She relaxed nicely on the backside. At first, I thought she was a little bit far back. She likes to be a little bit closer, but it worked out absolutely perfectly.”
Stroke the Tiger set the pace on the course labeled as yielding, with J’ray’s uncoupled stablemate Danzon prompting the early fractions of :25.24 for the opening quarter and :49.83 for a half-mile.
As the leaders faltered, reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Sealy Hill, who was second in last year’s Canadian Stakes, launched a strong move from the outside on the turn. But she hung in the stretch as Callwood Dancer rallied inside of her to take a half-length lead at the eighth pole.
Meanwhile, Bravo found smooth sailing between horses in the stretch as J’ray kicked into gear in the final furlongs and surged to the lead.
“I’d say this filly has really got good,” said Bravo. “This little filly relaxed back there. She saved all her energy until the turn for home. She exploded and really showed her true colors.”
The win was the ninth in 23 career starts for the New York State-bred daughter of Distant View out of the Darshaan mare Bubbling Heights (Fr). She earned $169,272 to push her career earnings to $856,161.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Bob Ehalt is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer