Woodbine roundup: Miss Dracarys wins Dance Smartly for Drysdale
Miss Dracarys, invading from Belmont Park for trainer Neil Drysdale, went straight to the front and led her six rivals on a merry chase to score by one length under Javier Castellano in Sunday’s Grade 2, $148,804 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.
The Dance Smartly, a 1 1/16 mile-turf race for fillies and mares, was the first start for Miss Dracarys since she became a stakes winner over the distance and surface in the listed Forever Together at Belmont last Nov. 20.
Miss Dracarys, breaking from the outside post, wasted no time in establishing herself as the one to catch as she showed the way through fractions of 24.07, 47.91, and 1:11.02 with the Chad Brown-trained Salimah in hot pursuit and Justify My Love in a good striking position along the rail.
Amping up the pace as Moira was looming large following a perfect outside stalking trip in fourth, Miss Dracarys had plenty in reserve as she blew past the mile marker in 1:33.87 en route to a final time of 1:39.60.
Moira had moved into serious contention around the final turn and had dead aim on the winner straightening out for home but was unable to reel in the loose-on-the-lead winner as the even-money choice.
Last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly after capturing the Woodbine Oaks and the Queen’s (now King’s Plate) Plate last summer, Moira was suffering her third hard-luck defeat in as many starts this season.
Ready Lady rallied from the backfield to finish 3 1/4 lengths back in third with Justify My Love a nose back.
??#9 MISS DRACARYS ($10.70) turned back a late bid by favored Moira to win the GII Dance Smartly Stakes at @WoodbineTB!
Congratulations to @jjcjockey, Neil Drysdale, and Al Shiraaa Farms! pic.twitter.com/8nymuBehXO
— TVG (@TVG) August 20, 2023
Miss Dracarys, a daughter of Malibu Moon and Ask Me When, who was bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, was recording her fifth career victory and first graded stakes win while making her 13th start in the Dance Smartly. She returned $10.70 as the third choice in the wagering.
Drysdale has enjoyed some major victories here in the past, registering Woodbine Mile (G1) wins with Labeeb (1998), Touch of the Blues (2003), and Becrux (2006) and a Canadian International (G1) score with Marsh Side (2008).
Patches O'Houlihan improves to 6-for-7 in Bold Venture
Patches O’Houlihan, a 3-year-old son of Reload out of Maythefourthbwithu, wired his rivals in the Grade 3, $117,116 Bold Venture for 3-year-olds and up, on King’s Plate Sunday at Woodbine.
Stepping up in class and taking on older, more seasoned competition, didn’t faze Patches O’Houlihan one bit in the afternoon’s seventh race, one of five stakes contested on the 13-race card.
Under Daisuke Fukumoto, the bay gelding, in typical fashion, broke sharply from the gate and took control of the nine-horse field, leading Old Chestnut, one of three Martin Drexler trainees, by two lengths through an opening split in 22:68 seconds.
Patches O’Houlihan extended his advantage over that rival to four lengths through a half mile in 44.61 but soon felt the pressure from both sides as he navigated the turn for home. In front by a half-length at Robert Geller’s stretch call, the Robert Tiller trainee continued to fight on and crossed the wire a 1 1/4-length winner. Last American Exit, at 45-1, was second, a half-length ahead of Old Chestnut for second. Secret Reserve was fourth.
The final time for 6 ½ furlongs was 1:15.34.
#5 PATCHES O'HOULIHAN ($6.30) finds more in the tank to hold on for the win in @WoodbineTB's GIII Bold Venture Stakes!
The Frank Di Giulio homebred was ridden by @D_Fukumoto and trained by Robert Tiller. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/Ubb79O19OH
— TVG (@TVG) August 20, 2023
“I looked at the [Daily Racing] Form,” said Fukumoto. “I knew my speed in the race, but you know, anything can happen. I just rode simple, rode good. I went inside and then took the lead. He’s only three, right? It was a tough trip for him and he tried hard. He’s a nice horse.”
It was the latest impressive outing for Patches O’Houlihan.
Bred and owned by Frank Di Giulio, Jr., the sprint star debuted last September and won in style, a 4 ½-length victory at 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta. After a sixth on the turf in the Bull Page, he came back with an eye-catching 9 ¾-length romp at 5 ½ panels over the Tapeta in his 3-year-old debut in May.
After another win over the same distance and same surface, Patches O’Houlihan stepped up to the stakes ranks and took the Lake Huron (on the inner turf) on July 8 and the Lake Superior on July 30.
“I’ve got to give Frank a lot of credit,” said Tiller. “We test each other. It’s like a marriage. At the end of the day, this is a super good horse. I don’t want to say he’s a (multiple stakes and Sovereign Award champion, and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee) Pink Lloyd, but he’s a super good horse. This is a big thrill for me.”
Sporting a record of 6-0-0 from seven starts, all at Woodbine, Patches O’Houlihan, who went off as the 2-1 choice, paid $6.30 for Sunday’s win. Flag of Honour was scratched. ? ?
