The ONT Colleen Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
WO- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Turf
August 22, 2021

Sunday will be an exciting day of racing north of the border, and as we get ready for the Queen’s Plate, we have much more on the undercard. One of those races is the twelfth running of the ONT Colleen Stakes, a mile long turf race for three year old fillies. The field is somewhat small, with only six going to the gate for this race which has had a $125.000 or $150.000 purse throughout its history. Last year, Nakamura Stables won the race with Deep Atonement, a still active Pocono General filly that has continued to have a steady and productive career. Here’s a look at our entrants for this edition!

#1- Party In The Brig (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by A Cedillo)- Recently, this filly has been in similar stakes and is looking to have a breakout. She has took part in five grade 3’s, and has been third twice and fourth three times. So, she is getting a little something back for Mo Mentum Farm, and as that happens she will keep being seen in a race like this. This is a little shorter distance, so perhaps that can make a big difference.

#2- Along Comes Mary (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by J Stein)- This filly has won three of her ten career races, and that includes her last start, which was the $80.000 Osunitas Stakes at a mile on the grass. She’s been on the best form of her career right now, making this a great spot to see how she handles graded competition. Worked very well at DMR before the long trip here.

#3- Shes One Of A Kind (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- We saw her in the BC Juvenile Turf last year, but she never got near the front. That’s one of the seven stakes that she has run, and none of those were one of her three wins. In her last start, she set the pace in the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes, before being passed by two in the stretch. May look to employ the same strategy here over a shorter distance.

#4- Four Wheel Drive (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Did Mb Stables let one get away? At the beginning of the month D J C picked her up in a claimer at SAR for $20.000 after going wire to wire at a mile on the grass. It was also her second start in less than two weeks. This is the a big jump forward for Four Wheel Drive, but after that effort it is one that makes sense. The bigger issue is likely that this is her third start in less than a month.

#5- Sass (Arindel, ridden by T Gaffalione)- The trainer is changing everything with this filly, as this will be her debut on the grass. It is also just her second career start going at least a mile. She’s been decent in dirt sprints over her career. A recent mile work on the dirt does not really stand out, and she has not been worked on the grass, publicly, in eleven months. If Arindel wasn’t confident in her, she wouldn’t be here. As an outsider, I have to see it first.

#6- Viva (Arindel, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Arindel’s second entry is the more experienced one on the grass, even if she is used to it being soft lately. Her last two starts could have been affected by the track conditions, and she did win her two starts prior. If those are not throw outs due to weather, this won’t be easy for her. Working well coming into the race, and probably the one that Arindel is more confident with.

Prediction: 1-3-2-6

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES