Lorena gets up late to take Zadracarta
TORONTO, September 4, 2022 – Lorena, under Gary Boulanger, was full of run down the lane en route to victory in Sunday’s $100,800 Zadracarta Stakes, at Woodbine.
The Zadracarta, a 5-furlong Inner Turf event for Ontario-bred fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, went postward with 10 hopefuls, including multiple stakes winner Lorena, sent off at 5-1.
Marie MacKay broke running and soared to the front, as 5-2 choice Stormy Silence, making her stakes debut, and Lorena, winless in three attempts in 2022, tracked the pacesetter through an opening quarter reached in :21.66.
Still calling the shots by two lengths after a half timed in :45.09, Marie MacKay turned the corner looking to keep her foes at bay, but a persistent Stormy Silence soon forced the issue, taking command in deep stretch, only to be confronted by a fast-closing Lorena to her outside.
At the wire, Lorena, who closed out her 2021 campaign with consecutive stakes scores, was a half-length winner. Stormy Silence finished two lengths ahead of Marie MacKay, with Spanish Ballerina taking fourth.
The final time was :57.29 over firm going.
Boulanger, zeroing in on 3,700 career wins, wasn’t concerned with an outside post.
“She’s really quick out of there. We have kind of been giving up the lead up in the races earlier, wanting to rate her a bit. Looking at this race, Stu [trainer, Simon] said, ‘Just let her dance. If she’s up front, she is and if she’s just off it, that’s fine.’ When she turns home, she’s got a big kick. I was pretty confident in the middle of the turn.”
The Hall of Fame rider was happy to see the 4-year-old daughter of Souper Speedy-Negotiable back to her winning ways.
“She wasn’t at her best early on [in the year] and was kind of battling some things, physically-wise, and she’s gotten progressively better. Going into this race, she trained really like her old self. I was pretty excited about it.”
Simon was pleased to see cooler weather move into the Greater Toronto Area on Sunday.
“She hasn’t been a fan of the hotter temperatures, so I was glad to see it cool down a little bit. She’s just a real genuine filly and she’s had a few things not go her way early this year, but there’s some still some year left and hopefully we make good of it.”
Simon, who co-owns with Brent and Russell McLellan, and Kai Olguin, notched his 49th career stakes victory with the Zadracarta triumph.
Lorena is now 7-1-0 from 12 career starts. She launched her career with three straight wins, including the 2021 Fury Stakes.
She returned $13.70, $8.20 and $4.60 and fronted an exactor with Stormy Silence ($5.20, $4) worth $65.60. Marie MacKay ($4.90) completed a triactor worth $522.70, with the $1 superfecta (Spanish Ballerina) returning $1,476.10. Jill and She’s a Dream were scratched.
Live racing continues tomorrow with a special Holiday Monday card. First post is set for 1:00 p.m.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
Grace Martin