My Boy Prince dazzles in 86th Cup and Saucer Stakes/ Spun Glass and Millie Girl take respective Grade 3s
TORONTO, October 14, 2023 – My Boy Prince proved to be much the best with an easy-looking gate to wire victory in Saturday’s 86th running of the Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack.
Making his first start since finishing runner-up in the Grade 1 bet365 Summer Stakes on September 16, My Boy Prince bested nine Canadian foaled two-year-old rivals in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile event on the E.P. Taylor Turf.
Sent off at odds of 1/5, the Gary Barber owned My Boy Prince had a slight bobble coming out of the gate, but still managed to move out to a clear lead for jockey Sahin Civaci. Arashi ran a couple lengths off the controlling heavy favourite, while the bulk of the field was a few more lengths back.
With the field at his mercy, My Boy Prince and Civaci remained calm on the lead with a few rivals moving to within a length or two coming off the turn. Straightening out for home, Civaci finally unleashed My Boy Prince, who stormed away impressively to win by 4 1/4 lengths over the “good” E.P. Taylor Turf.
Arashi maintained second, while King Rosso was third.
The fractions and final time were :24.34, :49.08, 1:13.88, 1:36.98 and 1:43.30.
Trained by Mark Casse, My Boy Prince now has three wins, including a 14-length victory in the Simcoe Stakes, and two seconds from five starts. The son of Cairo Prince has stamped himself as the front-runner for year-end Canadian honours.
“He handled (the turf) great,” said Civaci. “He had easy fractions up front and I was comfortable. I held him for a pretty long while and no one was coming up and when I asked him he kicked on really nice like a good horse.
“It’s an honour to ride a horse like this. I truly appreciate the opportunities I’m getting from this barn, and I thank Gary Barber and Mark Casse.”
Trainer Casse has now won the Cup and Saucer Stakes seven-times, including four of the last five years, while Civaci adds another stakes score to his breakout 2023 season.
My Boy Prince paid $2.40 to win, while the $2 Exacta with Arashi returned $11.20, the $1 Trifecta capped by King Rosso paid $20.10 and the $1 Superfecta rounded up by English Jubilee paid $114.95.
My Boy Prince and jockey Sahin Civaci winning the Cup & Saucer Stakes on October 14, 2023 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
My Boy Prince and jockey Sahin Civaci winning the Cup & Saucer Stakes on October 14, 2023 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
In an exciting upset, Spun Glass came from off the pace to win the $150,000 Ontario Fashion Stakes presented by Tanqueray (G3) for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up, Saturday at Woodbine.
Spun Glass, trained by Michael Trombetta and owned and bred by Larry Johnson, achieved her seventh win and first graded stakes win. Spun Glass hasn't been back to Woodbine since winning an allowance race in October of 2020.
After an even break, Hard Edge lead the field with Loyalty in second, and Hazelbrook in third, the quarter was reached in :22.54. Spun glass, with Luis Contreras aboard, was second last.
Spun Glass took the turn from the inside, making her way into fifth. The time at the half was :44.24. Loyalty was first, followed closely by Hazelbrook in second, Ready To Venture (GB) in third and Hard Edge in fourth.
In the final stretch, Spun Glass came through the centre of the field to win. Awesome Treat was second, Loyalty third, and Hazelbrook fourth.
“She broke really good so I just let he go at whatever speed she was comfortable”, said jockey Luis Contreras of his first time on the mare. “Once I was in the post parade I got a good feeling of her and just went from there”.
Vamtarsi and Time for an Angel were steward scratches.
Spun Glass paid $57.20 to win.
In other stakes action, Millie Girl, under Rafael Hernandez, rallied late to take the $150,000 Ontario Matron (G3), also for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack.
Millie Girl is trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who also co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd.) with Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds. This is the 5-year old mare’s fourth win and first stakes win after finishing third in both the Royal North Stakes (G2) and the Nassau Stakes (G2) and second in last month’s Seaway Stakes (G3).
From post 8 in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta Grade 3, Millie girl broke in the centre of the field. With Angelou in the lead, the field reached the opening quarter in :24.53.
Angelou continued to lead with Tamarama (GB) following closely behind with Souper Hoity Toity and Il Malocchio battling for third. The field made it to the half in :48.87. Millie girl was third last.
Millie Girl started to make ground around the turn, moving up to fourth behind Angelo in first, Mouffy in second, and Il Malocchio in third. Down the stretch, Millie Girl flew past the leaders on the outside, winning by a nose at the wire. Angelou was second, Il Malochio third, and Mouffy fourth.
The final time was 1:35.75.
“I thought when she got into the clear she would run them down but they weren’t coming back to her very quickly and I thought uh-oh, we might be in trouble here but she still found a way to get there”, remarked trainer Catherine Day Philips, who never lost confidence in the 5-year old mare.
“She’s run very hard, we’ve always believed in her so much and really felt that she deserved to be a stakes winner, and a graded stakes winner now. I’m very happy for her.”
Do You Love Me and Strega were both Steward scratches.
Millie Girl paid 10.70 to win.
