Rhaenyra flows to Georgian Bay win / Go Kart Mozart powers to Lake Huron victory
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TORONTO, June 22, 2025 – The curtain raised on the Ontario Sired Heritage Series Sunday afternoon at Woodbine with a pair of $100,000 stakes, the Georgian Bay and Lake Huron.
The five-furlong inner turf events are part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series, an eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario-sired 3-year-olds, to be contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.
In the Georgian Bay, for 3-year-old fillies, Rhaenyra took top prize in frontrunning fashion.
Rhaenyra, under Pietro Moran, got away a step slowly from the inside post, but soon found her stride and was hustled to the front, as 2-5 Executive Success shadowed in second, followed by Soupergirl, Su Legado Vive and Zippy Gamble through an opening panel in :21.54.
As the field navigated the turn for home, Rhaenyra, still running comfortably on the lead, began to draw away from her pursuers. The dark bay, in complete control after a half in :44.06, was never threatened and crossed the wire a three-length winner. Su Legado Vive fended off an inside surge from Zippy Gamble for second spot.
The final time was :56.82 over firm ground.
"She was very game,” said Moran, of the filly who was making her turf and stakes debut. “She broke a step slow, but once she got going, she was really good. Around the turn she was just cruising, so I knew we had a good shot.”
Trainer Kevin Attard, who finished first and third in the Georgian Bay, was pleased to see the Al and Bill Ulwelling homebred rebound off a fourth in a 5 ½-furlong main track event on May 22 at Woodbine.
“We were obviously happy with the way she worked [ahead of the race] – very disappointed in her start previous,” said Attard. “We always thought of this filly in high regard. She always breezed like she had some talent, so it was nice to see her put it all together again today.”
The addition of blinkers also made a difference, noted Attard.
“It seems to keep her a little bit more focused and showing a little bit more speed.”
Rhaenyra launched her career on October 5, and finished third, a neck behind the winner, in a seven-furlong main track race. She completed her rookie campaign with a fifth, sixth and another third.
Her breakthrough came in her 3-year-old debut, on April 27 at Woodbine. Sent on her way as the 7-5 choice in the five-furlong dash, Rhaenyra posted an authoritative 5 ¼-length score.
A daughter of Reload out of the Star Guitar mare Starmaline, Rhaenyra is now 2-0-2 from 7 starts.
She paid $18.20 for the Georgian Bay win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
Go Kart Mozart powers to Lake Huron victory
TORONTO, June 22, 2025 - Go Kart Mozart and jockey Sofia Vives orchestrated a spirited score in the $100,000 Lake Huron Stakes for sophomore colts and geldings - part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series - on Sunday at Woodbine.
Fresh off a pair of impressive wins to launch his 2025 campaign, Go Kart Mozart rocketed to the lead steps out of the gate and was quickly joined to his inside by Dark Screen, as the pair matched strides through an opening quarter in :22.07. The pacesetters were followed by Magic Power, Awesome Rainbow, Little Red Domi and My Boy Bruce.
Dark Screen burst through along the rail to take over the proceedings ahead of the half in :44.52, which would set the stage for a spirited slugfest to the wire.
Go Kart Mozart recaptured the lead in early stretch, as a game Dark Screen continued to persist along the rail, with the former eventually reaching the line a half-length victor in a time of :56.92 over firm going. My Boy Bruce, 4 ½ lengths further back, rallied late to best Awesome Rainbow by a head for third. Tiernan was scratched.
“This horse has shown us really good speed figures this year and he’s been breaking really sharp,” said Vives, of the Frank Di Giulio, Jr. homebred, now 3-0-0 from 4 starts. “I was actually kind of glad to see another horse come up next to him and actually challenge him this time – it showed that he can dig in and that he was much the best today.”
A bay son of Souper Speedy out of the Silic (FR) mare Stormy Adieu, Go Kart Mozart arrived at the Lake Huron off consecutive wins, including a 3 ½-length maiden-breaking performance at five furlongs on the Woodbine main track in his 3-year-old debut on April 26.
That victory was followed by a neck score at 5 ½ furlongs over the same surface on May 18.
Go Kart Mozart raced once as a 2-year-old, a seventh-place result in a 5 ½-furlong sprint last September.
“His debut start, he got left in the gate,” said Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Bob Tiller. “You can just throw the race right out. He was a baby, and this horse is very calm in the morning – he never really worked anything great. But his breeding is good, and his mare has had some runners.
“I like this guy. He’s just won three in a row. You will see him in the winner’s circle again.”
Sent off as the even-money choice, Go Kart Mozart paid $4.20 for today’s win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
