He’s Not Joking all business in Grade 3 Grey / Somethinabouther storms home to take Grade 3 Mazarine
TORONTO, November 3, 2024 – He’s Not Joking was full of run down the lane to take Sunday’s Grade 3 $135,000 bet365 Grey Stakes at Woodbine.
It was 3-2 choice Shifty, breaking from the rail post, who seized the early lead at the outset, and held a 2 ½-length advantage over stablemate Tapit Kissit Winit, with Dewolf in third along the rail through an opening quarter in :23.76. He’s Not Joking, in rein to Kazushi Kimura, was camped in seventh of eight.
Shifty was still calling the shots after a quarter in :47.01, two lengths clear of Tapit Kissit Winit, with Dewolf a head behind.
Kimura began to make steady progress with He’s Not Joking who began to advance willingly from the five-eighths. As the field straightened for the stretch drive, the bay colt drove to the front and quickly accelerated away from his rivals en route to an authoritative fourth-length score in a time of 1:43.18.
Dewolf was second, Shifty was third, and a late-rolling Thundering finished fourth.
“From the three-eighths, he had a beautiful acceleration,” said Kimura. “I felt very confident.”
This was the first stakes crown for the son of Practical Joke out of the Central Banker mare Collegeville Girl and the first stakes victory for owner Di Scola Boys Stable.
“It feels awesome,” said John Di Scola. “We waited a long time to get on this side of the grass. Very proud of the way he stepped up and finished today.”
Di Scola wasn’t certain the bay would get two turns.
He was happy to be wrong.
“To be honest, I have to give hats off to Josie (Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Carroll) on that. She was the one who thought he could get two turns, and I was kind of doubting her, but she was spot on. He showed up in a big way today to polish them all off.”
Bred in Kentucky by James Wasserson, He’s Not Joking, who arrived at the Grey off a third in the Display Stakes on Oct. 13, is now 2-1-1 from 4 starts.
He broke his maiden in his second start, a 1 ¼-length score at seven furlongs over the Woodbine main track on Sept, 15.
A $105,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale, He’s Not Joking paid $23 for the win.
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Somethinabouther storms home to take Grade 3 Mazarine
TORONTO, November 3, 2024 – Somethinabouther, under Declan Cannon, rallied impressively to win the Grade 3 $135,000 Mazarine Stakes Presented by Ketel One, Sunday at Woodbine.
Foxtastic flew to the front seconds after the gates opened in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 2-year-old fillies, as No Time hounded the frontrunner to her outside through an opening quarter in :24.01, while Somethinabouther sat fifth of nine in the early going.
Ahead by half-length over a persistent No Time after a half in :47.65, Foxtastic began to gain some separation from her pursuers leading into the turn for home, but Cannon had Somethinabouther primed to pounce six-wide.
Second and rolling at the stretch call, the daughter of Mendelssohn out of the Ghostzapper mare Phantom Proton, continued to grind away before striking front in the final strides and then holding on by a neck after a tenacious bid from As Catch Can, who bested Ready for Candy by a length for second. Salt was fourth.
The final time was 1:45.00.
“That’s the setup I wanted,” said Cannon, of his off-the-pace plans. “I knew I’d do my best work late and I just wanted to bide my time and let her find her rhythm. It worked out perfect.”
It was the first stakes score for the Brendan Walsh trainee in her first Canadian appearance.
After a third to start her career at Churchill Downs in June, the bay filly broke her maiden next time out in a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Ellis Park on Aug. 4.
Bred in Kentucky by Stepaside Farm LLC, she arrived at the Mazarine off a pair of stakes engagements, finishing sixth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies on Sept. 8 and ninth in the Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland on Oct. 4.
With the victory, Somethinabouther, owned by X-Men Racing IV LLC, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC, is now 2-0-1 from 5 starts.
“We’ve always liked her,” said Cannon. “After she broke her maiden, she ran a good number, and that’s why we ran her in stakes company at Keeneland and Kentucky Downs. She is going to be a nice filly next year, I think. She’s got the frame to grow into a nice horse.”
A $210,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale, Somethinabouther paid $33.70 for the win. Shifty and Ready to Battle were scratched.
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Chris Lomon