Fashionably Fab wins an Eternal Search thriller / Perfect Crime pulls off Overskate win
TORONTO, October 22, 2023 – Fashionably Fab, a 3-year-old daughter of Silent Name (JPN)-Flashy’s Legacy, fought every step of the way to eke out a narrow victory in the $100,000 Eternal Search Stakes Presented by bet365, Sunday at Woodbine. The race for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, was run at 7 ½ furlongs on an inner turf listed as “good.” Miss Speedy, the 2-1 morning line choice, was scratched.
It was an early, multi-horse scramble for the lead with Breathing Fire and Fashionably Fab eventually emerging one-two into the first turn, followed by Pleasure’s Gold and Talk to Ya Later.
Breathing Fire was a half-length clear of Fashionably Fab, to her outside, through an opening quarter in :23.16, and maintained that advantage through a half in :47.16.
The duo began to draw away from their pursuers as they rounded the turn for home, which set the tone for a compelling tete-a-tete to the finish line.
Breathing Fire, to the inside, was a head in front at the stretch call, but neither filly gave an inch with the wire drawing closer. After a photo finish, Fashionably Fab, who was contesting her first grass engagement, emerged with a nose nod over a game Breathing Fire. Talk to Ya Later was third and Taquanyah finished fourth.
The final time was 1:30.67.
“I knew she won, but throughout the race, Emma [jockey, Wilson, aboard Breathing Fire] had a decent filly,” said Husbands. “I was watching the whole way. Emma had so much horse and my horse was happy. Emma’s horse would not give up, but she got the job done.”
The Eternal Search was the third stakes score for the Kevin Attard trainee, who is now 5-0-2 from nine lifetime starts for owner and breeder Terra Racing Stable.
“We were confident, obviously with her pedigree, her being by Silent Name, that she should like the grass,” said Attard. “We weren’t sure how much cut was into the turf with the rain we’ve had but obviously she looked pretty good out there today.
“It was tight, very tight, but she’s just an honest horse, obviously had a good campaign last year as a 2-year-old. It’s just nice to see her come back now in her sophomore campaign.”
Fashionably Fab, the 5-2 choice, paid $7.40 for the win.
The race is named after the three-time Canadian champion, purchased at age two for $50,000 by 2010 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Mel Lawson, who raced her under his Jim Dandy Stable banner. Eternal Search retired from racing with 15 stakes victories and posted a record of 18-11-2 from 44 starts. She was trained by Ted Mann, who became a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1982.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
TORONTO, October 22, 2023 – Perfect Crime, under leading rider Kazushi Kimura, powered home to take top prize in the $100,000 Overskate Presented by bet365, Sunday at Woodbine.
The race, for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, was run at 7 ½ furlongs on an inner turf listed as “good.” Patches O’Houlihan, undefeated in his past six starts, was scratched.
Winless in seven tries on the year coming into the Overskate, Perfect Crime, a 5-year-old son of Old Forester-Thats Our Princess, stayed close to the pace before accelerating to the lead in the stretch to secure his first stakes victory and first win in almost a year.
Dun Drum and Town Cruise slugged it out on the front end through an opening quarter in :23.72, as Kimura kept Perfect Crime positioned fourth. Town Cruise then took over the proceedings and was shadowed by Perfect Crime, half-length back, through a half in :47.74.
Turning for home, Perfect Crime turned up the pressure on the frontrunner and wrested the lead away just after the eighth pole. The bay gelding, trained by Patrick Dixon for Colebrook Farms, bested 6-5 choice Mason’s Gamble by 1 ¾ lengths. Town Cruise was a nose back in third. Dun Drum, Lac Macaza, Banff, and Philip My Dear rounded out the order of finish.
The final time was 1:30.08.
“I was a little bit ahead out of the gate, he was so smooth to get the good position today and he was so comfortable,” said Kimura. “I know that Town Cruise is a nice horse, so I was starting the pressure from the half-mile and he kept going really well.”
The victory delivered Dixon, who is having a career-best campaign, his first stakes success.
“It’s very exciting. I’ve trained him since he was a baby and he’s always shown a lot of talent and I’ve aimed for this race for a long, long time. After I stretched him out the one time, I thought this would be a perfect race for him, he runs so well on the inner turf.
“He’d been training fantastic after his last race, and I thought he would run a really big race today. I was really excited for him to run. All credit to John Brnjas and the whole Colebrook family for sticking with me as a trainer and everything that we’ve been through.”
Perfect Crime, bred by the late Gus Schickedanz, is now 4-5-5 from 33 starts. Before the Overskate, his most recent winner’s circle trip came on October 28, 2022, in a 6 ½-furlong Tapeta race originally scheduled for the turf.
He paid $21.30 for today's win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
.jpg "Fashionably Fab and jockey Patrick Husbands winning the Eternal Search Stakes on October 22, 2023 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)")
