Play the Music tops the Grade 3 Whimsical chart
TORONTO, May 4, 2024 – Play the Music hit all the right notes in the $135,000 Whimsical Stakes (G3) Presented by Bulleit Bourbon on Saturday at Woodbine.
A wide-open field of 14 went postward in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, with longshot The Arcadian Way showing the way early.
Crossing over from the outside gate, The Arcadian Way held a two-length advantage over 5-2 choice Accomplished Girl through a quarter in :22.53, followed by Sunday Shoes and Trading Bay. Patrick Husbands, aboard Play the Music, nestled the daughter of Mo Town into eighth.
The Arcadian Way was still calling the shots through a half in :45.71, with Accomplished Girl in second and Blind Spot in third.
Husbands maintained a patient hand aboard the Mark Casse trainee as the field navigated the final turn for home as he looked for a clear path to make their bid.
Ahead by a half-length at Robert Geller’s stretch call, the bay filly extended her lead with ease to the wire, going on to notch a 4 ¼-length triumph in a time of 1:10.59. Peacock Lass was second. Dolce Sopresa and Baby No Worries dead-heated for third. Honey Pants was scratched.
“Handicapping this race, I didn’t know who to follow,” said Husbands. “I had no clue. She broke sharp, I tried to follow this horse then that horse. I got stuck behind a horse in the turn and I tried not to push her. I tried to give her a nice trip and I got lucky with that trip.”
It was the fifth win from 12 starts and the third triumph in the past four starts for Play the Music.
Bred in Kentucky by Laura McKinney and owned by Glassman Racing LLC, she arrived at the Whimsical off a sixth in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland on April 13.
Play the Music finished ninth in her debut, the Glorious Song Stakes, at Woodbine, on November 5, 2022. Her first stakes success came in the Leinster Lightning City Stakes (Black Type) at Tampa this February.
Her first race back at the Toronto oval yielded a far more pleasing result.
“She was just doing it easy, easy, easy and she won big,” said Husbands, of the $300,000 2-year-old purchase.
Play the Music returned $8.70 for the win.
Live racing at Woodbine resumes Sunday with a first post of 1:10 p.m. The Rockcliffe Stakes headlines the 10-race card.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
