Grade 3 Ontario Colleen: Mohawk Trail blazes another winning trail at Woodbine / Loyalty looks impressive in Grade 3 Hendrie
TORONTO, July 22, 2023 – Mohawk Trail was full of run late to take the $150,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T), Saturday at Woodbine.
Fresh off a score in the Alywow Stakes on June 25, Mohawk Trail, a bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile-Iroquois Girl, looked right at home again on the E.P. Taylor turf in the one-mile Ontario Colleen for 3-year-old fillies.
Sent off at 11-1, the dark bay, trained by Kelsey Danner for NBS Stable, was seventh through opening splits of :24.68 and :47.87, as Queen Picasso (GB), undefeated in two starts, looked in control travelling over the ground listed as good.
Rounding the turn for home, 6-5 choice Queen Picasso (GB), making her first appearance at Woodbine, dashed away from her eight rivals, but Adam Beschizza, aboard Mohawk Trail, began to cut into the lead of the frontrunner mid-way down the lane and eventually struck front in the late going to notch a 1 ½-length win. Queen Picasso (GB) was second, a head in front of Love to Shop. Ryder Ryder Ryder finished fourth.
The final time was 1:34.68.
Beschizza, who was aboard for the win in the 6 ½-furlong Alywow, felt confident the filly could handle the longer distance at tougher competition.
“I had a discussion with Kelsey, and she said, ‘Do we stay where we are or do we stretch her out a little bit?’ And the discussion was to go, obviously, a mile. She’s starting to mature a lot more. She has a great will to win which stacks up in her favour, so that’s half the battle with these horses.
“When she had a target in front of her there the last eighth of a mile, she dug deep. Like I said, she is definitely maturing in the right direction. Good on Kelsey. She’s done a great job with her and congrats to NBS as well.”
With the victory, Mohawk Trail, bred in Florida by Westbury Stables LLC, is now 4-1-1 from nine starts. She broke her maiden last December over one mile on the Gulfstream turf.
Mohawk Trail paid $25.60 for the win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications/ @WoodbineComms
Loyalty looks impressive in Grade 3 Hendrie
TORONTO, July 22, 2023 – Loyalty put on another stellar showing, this time in Saturday’s $150,000 Hendrie Stakes (G3), a 6 ½-furlong Tapeta sprint for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at Woodbine.
Trained by Josie Carroll for owners Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, Loyalty, a 4-year-old daughter of Hard Spun-Slew’s Quality, was making her second start of the year after a 3 ¼-length win on June 25 to kick off her 2023 season.
The duo of Clitheroe (GB) and Hard Edge dueled for the early lead, as Loyalty was positioned along the rail in third through an opening quarter reached in :22.92. The frontrunners continued their front-end tussle while Kazushi Kimura, aboard the even-money choice, was content to watch the proceedings from just off the pace.
Around the turn, Miss Speedy loomed a menacing presence to the outside, but Kimura and Loyalty came charging along the inside and took command just after the stretch call.
At the wire, Loyalty was a 2 ½-length winner in 1:15.61. Clitheroe (GB) was second and Talk to Ya Later rallied to best Miss Speedy by a head for third.
“I would say that she was the best in the field,” praised Kimura. “She’s quite easy to ride. She was able to stay close and also if there’s space, she’s able to go in the lead. There were so many options for me. She was feeling comfortable, so comfortable behind the frontrunner. She was able to take a step outside and find a hole and just showed me an amazing race. It was perfect.”
Bred in Florida by Best A Luck Farm LLC and Godolphin LLC, the dark bay is now 6-0-1 from eight starts. Her victories include the Lady Erie Stakes at Presque Isle last August, and the Duchess Stakes last October at Woodbine.
Loyalty, who debuted with consecutive victories in the spring of 2022, both at Woodbine, paid $4.30 for the win.
Live Thoroughbred racing resumes at Woodbine on Sunday with first post at 1:05 p.m. Four stakes, including the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser and the $150,000 Plate Trial, share the spotlight on the 11-race card.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications/ @WoodbineComms
