August 6, 2015
Three-year-old fillies take to the towering WO turf on Sunday afternoon in the last leg of their Triple Tiara and despite a $250.000 purse, the Wonder Where Stakes has only attracted a field of four, including only one from the WO Oaks and the Bison City over the main track. A fondness for the turf has always been an asset in this race, with only one previous winner making their debut on the grass in victory, so look for fillies who might be able to handle both the surface and the distance as the keys to winning this important race with the turf season heading into its prime time.
1-Sweet Red (Three-year-old chestnut filly / Owner-Mb Stables)
Sweet Red was a blowout winner at LS two starts back but used a completely different tactic against tougher in the Osunitas and with that versatility, should be able to control her own destiny from the inside over any kind of surface. Bred to go long and solid on the turf, she meets a reachable field in her biggest test to date and while she might not win carrying this weight, she will still make a good account of herself as the races get bigger and better.
Analysis-Two wins in a row give her a fighting chance
Fair Odds-7/2
2-Midnight Breeze (Three-year-old chestnut filly / Owner-Maxmillion Farm)
Two straight state-bred wins made Midnight Breeze the favourite in the ONT Damsel Stakes but Miss Bold Phooey got the better of her late in the lane and a more moderate pace up front will help her chances in getting the classic ten-furlong distance here. Lightly raced but high on talent, her sire was a BC Turf Sprint winner and she is from the same crop as a Grade II-placed filly so there is plenty to like at this level and she might be able to wire them on the engine if she is left alone.
Analysis-Pace threat needs to handle the ten-furlongs
Fair Odds-2/1
3-Unsecured (Three-year-old black filly / Owner-Team 7 Illusions)
Bison City winner Unsecured tries to handle a longer distance in the Wonder Where and will appreciate the going if she can get her turn-of-foot going in the final quarter-mile against the speed to her inside. She might not be quite as fast in speed ratings as others in the field but she does own a maiden win over a yielding turf and that could be enough to show her connections that she can handle a route of ground over anything, especially as the stakes season gets tougher.
Analysis-Does not have the turf experience of others but still has talent
Fair Odds-4/1
4-My Derby Tiara (Three-year-old bay filly / Owner-Canadian Racing)
If there is any filly in the Wonder Where field bred solely for this race, it is My Derby Tiara and as a daughter of multiple Grade I winner and WO-turf superstar Snippets, from a multiple Grade I winner on turf in Tiaras Secret, she should love the lawn and clearly loves WO with two wins over their main track. Speed ratings have been improving, a lone turf workout is solid enough and if she runs anywhere close to her pedigree, this race is hers for the taking, even if I rank her outside the top three simply on recent class alone.
Analysis-Turf pedigree does not make a turf winner
Fair Odds-6/1
Overall
Only four fillies line up on Sunday afternoon for the Wonder Where Stakes but each has a chance to set the pace, or close, or run to their pedigree, and win this event, so the hope is that each comes through with their best effort and makes it an exciting event. Midnight Breeze just missed in the ONT Damsel last time out so she clearly loves the turf and loves the class and this could be her race if she can set the pace and hold on, while Sweet Red will be charging from the inside and Unsecured will be coming from just off it to make it a close finish, with My Derby Tiara the wildcard off a lack of turf racing but the sire and dam potential to really make an impact.
Prediction
Win-Midnight Breeze (2/1)
Place-Sweet Red (7/2)
Show-Unsecured (4/1)
4th-My Derby Tiara (6/1)
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Ungraded
