Notorious Gangster lays down the law in Coronation Futurity / Aristella stellar in Princess Elizabeth score
TORONTO, November 30, 2024 – Notorious Gangster, under a perfect ride from Fraser Aebly, pounced on the frontrunners in the late going en route to victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine.
The 1 1/8-mile event for 2-year-olds foaled in Canada is a significant race on the road to the 166th running of The King’s Plate, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
Notorious Gangster, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer and three-time Plate winner Josie Carroll, will be one to keep tabs on ahead of next year’s $1 million classic.
Sent on his way at 10-1 in the field of 10 (Watsonville Red was scratched), Notorious Gangster watched the early action unfold from an ideal stalking position between horses in the second flight, as Forty N Five, supplemented to the race, emerged on the front end, followed by the trio of Ashley’s Archer, Conacher, also supplemented, and Kekoa.
Forty N Five was a half-length clear after a quarter in :24.59, while Aebly remained content to keep his charge within striking distance along the rail in fifth.
It was Forty N Five still calling the shots through a half in :49.32, but the pace noticeably quickened soon after. As the turn for home loomed, 9-5 choice, stakes winner Dewolf, and Ashley’s Archer, at 2-1, arrived on the scene with Notorious Gangster, to their inside, looking to reel in his rivals.
Aebly gave Notorious Gangster his cue mid-way down the lane and swung the colt to the outside to take aim at the lead duo with about 250 yards to the wire.
Notorious Gangster drove to the lead inside the final sixteenth on his way to a two-length score. Dewolf finished a neck in front of Ashley’s Archer. Faber was fourth.
The final time was 1:52.70.
"I wasn't sure we were going to hit the outside coming to the top of the lane, and the inside was opening up, and he wasn't quite ready for it, he liked the outside,” said Aebly, who has set several career-best marks in 2024, including five stakes victories. “And, you know, we got a nice trip out, and when I let him run, he was all racehorse.”
It was the second lifetime win for Notorious Gangster, who was making his second consecutive stakes appearance. He was seventh last time out in the Cup & Saucer on Oct. 6. He debuted on Aug. 4 at Woodbine and finished third at six panels over the main track.
The maiden victory came on Aug. 25 at the Toronto oval, a head win at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.
"He’s improved a ton,” said Aebly, who has been aboard for all four starts. “Every time I get on this horse, he's getting better and better and better.”
Bred and owned by Mark Dodson, Notorious Gangster is a son of Classic Empire out of the Verrazano mare Sister Nova (1-4-2 from 10 starts).
Notorious Gangster paid $22.30 for the win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
Aristella stellar in Princess Elizabeth score
TORONTO, November 30, 2024 – In other Saturday Woodbine stakes action, Aristella notched her first stakes win in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth, a main track race for Canadian-foaled 2-year-old fillies, and a key event on the path to the 70th running of the Woodbine Oaks, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series.
Regal Moment, at 30-1, broke alertly and zipped to the front in the 11-horse field (Proud Mischief was scratched), followed by fellow longshots Orient Beach, Ella It Is and Crystal Visions, with the pacesetter taking her rivals through a pedestrian opening quarter in :26.40, as Patrick Husbands settled an unhurried Aristella at the back of the pack.
Orient Beach then took a slight lead with Ready for Candy, 9-2 second choice on the board, ranging up on the outside to shadow the new leader, followed by Regal Moment and Aristella, who had moved her way into fourth through a half in a tepid :52.92.
As the field navigated the turn for home, Ready for Candy poked a head in front, but then had to keep tabs on a hard-charging Aristella to her outside.
The pair engaged in an energetic mid-stretch duel to the wire with Aristella emerging on top for a half-length triumph. A game Ready for Candy finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of Crystal Visions, who headed 4-5 choice Shifty for third.
The final time was 1:48.78.
“I wanted to save some ground, but by the seven-eighths pole, I saw the guys in trouble, so I had to go back out to the outside,” said Husbands. “So, I let the race go and let my horse get comfortable. And then by the quarter-pole, she was just taking me there, and it was only a matter of how far she's [going to] win. So, she won a big race.”
Rachel Halden, who trains for Flying Zee Racing Stables LLC, had high praise for the determined display engineered by her young charge.
“She was actually the only filly in the whole race that has won two turns already,” said Halden. “So, I mean, that was encouraging. And, you know, everybody else was coming off sprints. She was doing well. The last race, it actually was quite a solid effort in a very tough graded stakes. We felt very good about everything coming into it today.”
A daughter of More Than Ready out of the unraced Street Cry (IRE) mare Back to Love, Aristella, who finished seventh in her previous start, the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes on Nov. 3, is now 2-0-0 from 5 starts.
She broke her maiden in her third appearance, a 1 ¾-length score over a mile and 70 yards on the Woodbine main track on Oct. 5.
Bred by Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, LLC & Anderson Farms (Ontario), the bay filly was a $70,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.
Aristella paid $21.30 for the Princess Elizabeth victory.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
