Ryder Ryder Ryder dominates in Ruling Angel
TORONTO, May 20, 2023 – Ryder Ryder Ryder, under Patrick Husbands, cruised to victory in the $100,000 Ruling Angel Stakes Presented by Ketel One on Saturday at Woodbine.
Making her first start of the season, the Mark Casse trainee looked in mid-season form in the seven-furlong Tapeta race for 3-year-old fillies, gliding to an impressive seventh-length score.
Collecting Flatter and Renegade Rebel threw down early, with the duo scrapping on the front end well ahead of their nearest rival. The pair proceeded to take the field through early fractions of :22.21 and :43.76 as Husbands bided his time on the dark bay.
The frontrunners continued their tete-a-tete into the turn for home, while Ryder Ryder Ryder was given her cue by Husbands. Coming off the turn, Ryder Ryder Ryder quickly engaged the leaders along the inside and then dashed away from her foes down the lane.
Ahead by a length at Robert Geller’s stretch call, the Live Oak Plantation miss poured it on late and stopped the teletimer at 1:21.79. Last year’s Grade 1 Natalma Stakes winner Last Call held on to second, a half-length ahead of Attabe.
Husbands, who recently notched his 350th career stakes triumph, was pleased to see the filly live up to her talent and price tag.
“She cost a lot of money,” said the veteran rider of the $600.000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. “Since she’s come here, she’s always showed that she’s a nice filly. The last stakes race [Grade 3 Mazarine, in November] I rode her, as the gates opened, she reared up in the gates and I had to bide my time and she just got beat a nose [neck]. I got on her in January when I was in Florida, and she was going good. I’ve breezed her twice here and she was doing it so easy. I was licking my chops.”
It was the second win, along with the second in the Mazarine, in three starts for the daughter of Quality Road-More Hennessy, who won at first asking last October at Woodbine.
Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine LLC, Ryder Ryder Ryder paid $6.50 for today’s win.
Last Call, Attabe, Collecting Flatter, Bulsara and Renegade Rebel rounded out the field. Dolce Sopresa and Ticker Tape Home were scratched.
“Coming into the race, I had a lot of confidence,” said Husbands. “My filly broke sharp and I just wanted to see what was going on. They came back to me so fast, and it paid off in the long run, and she won pretty easy.”
Live racing resumes Sunday with a first post of 1:10 p.m. The featured race is the $100,000 King Corrie Stakes.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
