Third time proves the charm for Olivia Rose in Eternal Search
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TORONTO, October 24, 2026 - The classy Olivia Rose returned to the stakes' win circle in style, going wire to wire, to win the $150,000 Eternal Search Stakes Saturday at Woodbine.
The versatile 4-time stakes' winning mare had been winless in six starts since capturing the 2025 Ballade Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths on the all-weather Woodbine Tapeta surface, under regular pilot Rafael Hernandez.
Breaking from post position 3 on Saturday, the 5-year-old daughter of Silent Name broke slightly to her right, as the field of six departed the starting gate in the 7 1/2-furlong inner turf, two turn test, for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward.
Making her fourth start of the season, the Mark Casse trained Olivia Rose quickly seized the lead, through the clubhouse turn, covering the opening two panels in :23.24. Regal Moment was four lengths back in second. Second choice and fellow Casse trainee Ella It Is raced in third. Speedy Freeze saved ground in fourth, with 33-1 shot Nikita's Gem outside in fifth. And Just Magnificent trailed the field in sixth.
Up the backstretch on a glorious fall afternoon, Olivia Rose was loose on the point, opening a 5 1/2 length lead, through four furlongs in :46.49, over a course listed 'firm.'
At the top of the stretch, Regal Moment had shaved 3 lengths off Olivia Rose's lead, closing to within 2 1/2 and continued to surge down the lane, but Olivia Rose held sway well inside, to score by 1 length in a final time of 1:28.63.
Olivia Rose finally scored in the Eternal Search after running 7th (2024) and 2nd in last year's edition. In addition, the dark bay/brown mare displayed her back class in winning her fifth career stakes’ race.
"She broke sharp, she go like you said, 'coast to coast'," said Hernandez, who was making his 4th straight start aboard Olivia Rose after teaming with her previously, for wins in the Ballade, Fury and Thunder Bay Stakes, the mare's only prior turf win to date.
"You know you have to let them do their own thing," said Hernandez.
"Let them break and let her be where she wants to be, don't rush and don't put up too much. I don't want to just fight her," said Hernandez, who has now been aboard for four of Olivia Rose's five stakes’ wins. Kazushi Kimura was aboard for her inaugural stakes’ win, a 6 ½ length romp in the 2023 South Ocean Stakes.
Bred in Ontario by owner/breeder Gabe Grossberg, Olivia Rose (Silent Name (Japan) - Malibu Sunrise, by Malibu Moon) improved to 6-6-1 from 21 lifetime starts.
Although winless in 3 starts in 2026 coming in, Olivia Rose had flashed early foot in her last two starts, before finishing fourth respectively in both the Ballade Stakes and Zadracarta Stakes.
Casse breezed her twice after the Zadracarta, including a 4-furlong main track bullet on October 2 (:47.00) best of 48 workers that morning.
Handicappers were on to the 4-1 morning line shot, betting Olivia Rose down to 6/5. She returned $4.60 for the win. Regal Moment was second. Ella It Is finished third. And Speedy Freeze was fourth.
Phil McSween, for Woodbine
