Stunningly Perfect gets black type win in Victorian Queen
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TORONTO, September 13, 2026 – Stunningly Perfect, handled early race adversity and fired in timely fashion to earn her first career stakes' win in Sunday's $150,000 Victorian Queen Stakes at Woodbine.
Making her third career start and teamed with jockey Jose Campos for the first time, the dark bay/brown daughter of Perfect Timber broke in a slight tangle from post position six, as the field of seven were sent on their way, in the six-and-a-half-furlong main track event for Ontario-sired two-year-old fillies.
Leaving the chute, 1-2 favourite Sarayu unseated rider Pietro Moran, immediately changing the complexion of the race. The loose horse raced ahead of the field as Awesome Grace set the early pace through an opening quarter in :22.55. Champagne Sunday raced well back in second, with Stunningly Perfect third and Whitemudwest fourth.
The top troika remained in that order through an opening half mile in a quick :45.50. A furlong and half from home, the Steven Chircop-trained Stunningly Perfect angled off the rail, and in full flow, drove past Champagne Sunday and a rail rallying Princess Orlaith, defeating the latter by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:17.81.
"I did it just exactly how Steve said," said Campos. "Just stayed quiet in the beginning. I just followed the speed. When I started asking at the two and a half, my filly was running and responding so well, to the quarter, but when she made a kick, I knew that she was a winner."
Originally trained by Steve Attard, Chircop took over training duties for Stunningly Perfect's second career start, where she graduated by 7 1/2 lengths with Emma-Jayne Wilson at odds of 1-9 vs two foes in a six furlong maiden optional claiming race on August 23rd.
"So we worked her the first time. She worked just okay," said Chircop.
"Truthfully, I know this sounds silly. I was a little bit disappointed that she only won by seven that day of how good she worked," said the trainer, who also had Awesome Grace (6th) in the Victorian Queen.
Chricop was emotional in the winner's circle, adding that the moment is bittersweet after the passing of longtime groom and friend Dean Hardman, who cared for Stunningly Perfect.
Bred in Ontario by Charles Fipke and owned by Zilli Racing Stables, Stunningly Perfect earned career win number two in her third career start. In her lifetime bow under Attard, she was beaten a half-length, ironically, by the Chircop-trained Awesome Grace.
Stunningly Perfect was 3-1 on the morning line, floated up to 7-1 and paid $16.10 for the win. Princess Orlaith rallied up the rail from fifth to finish second. 28-1 shot Tweeternity was third and Champagne Sunday was fourth.
Pietro Moran walked away from the incident without injury.
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Phil McSween, for Woodbine
