Wonder Where Stakes- $225.000 Purse
WO- For Fillies Three Years Old Foaled In Canada
One Mile and One Quarter on the Turf
July 30, 2017

There is no wondering where the winner of the Wonder Where Stakes may be heading after the race. Bigger and better things is the answer. Let’s face it, this race was a springboard race being contested by four fillies who had showed promise and have had success, but none had really had that big win, yet. If you added the combined earnings of the four in the field, you would go just a tad over the purse for this race. The question was, then, who would win the race to try and go to the next level? After ten furlongs on the grass, each horse finished in the position that matched the number on their saddlecloth, and Nothing Given could not have been happier for it. The Our Athletes filly was the second choice on the board, but very well bet, going off at odds of 3/2. Congratulations to the winner, and her trainer, as Our Athletes picks up his first win in this stake. Jockey Alan Garcia is also a first time winner of the stake! The time of the victory was 1:59.37, making it the second quickest edition of the stake in its ten year history. Let’s take a look at how it happened!

(½ Mile- :48.68)- Bird Of Prey flies out of the gate for Mb Stables, and ends up being the only interested in running a quick early pace. The other three runners are content to let her go as they all sit back and ride side by side by side as the race moves into the backstretch. At a half mile, Bird Of Prey has opened up a lead of three and a half lengths, with her stablemate, Belle Esprit moving into the second position. Our winner, Nothing Given from Our Athletes is fine staying on the rail four and a half lengths out, while Say Aim And Fire trails for Emerald Racing Inc.

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.24)- On the lead, Bird Of Prey continues to hold her advantage of between three and four lengths, as no one is interested in joining her at this time. The rest of the field is still watching her, rather uneventfully. There is a pass for second at this point as Nothing Given moves up a spot, but that seemed to be a product of Belle Esprit slipping a bit, as opposed to the winner actually making her move yet. Say Aim And Fire certainly could have lived up to her name very well with that leader on the front end being a great target at this point.

(1 Mile/Top of stretch- 1:35.73)- The beginning half of the run around the turn did not see anyone making much progress on the leader, but as they approached the exit, Nothing Given was letting her intentions be known. She would close to within a length and a half of our leader at the top of the stretch. Bird Of Prey had some fight in her still, but did not have the same power in her stride at this point. Could the post time favorite dig in and find a little more to hold off Nothing Given? As for the other two, neither were making a run. Say Aim And Fire was now two lengths behind Nothing Given, losing ground to her though gaining on Bird Of Prey. Belle Esprit had no stretch response.

(Finish- 1:59.37)- Nothing Given would pull even with Bird Of Prey early in the stretch run, and make the pass without that much difficulty. However, Bird Of Prey, once passed, seemed to have a little fight in her to try and keep it close. Nothing Given simply needed to maintain a steady run to the wire, and was able to do so to pick up the victory! Bird Of Prey’s battle allowed her to stay ahead of Say Aim And Fire for second. Belle Esprit, will look to be better with more time in the barn of Mb Stables. She was disappointment today.

About The Winner- Nothing Given, trained by Our Athletes and ridden by Alan Garcia, is a three year old filly by Zero Return and out of Red Ryder. She was bred in Ontario as a second quarter two year old by Heavens Own, and was acquired by Our Athletes in the September 2016 auction for $15.020. Congratulations to the connections! The win is Nothing Given’s fourth in seven starts, and continues the trend of her rotating wins and non-wins. It is her first ever stake win, and her career earnings have improved to $189.310.

Track: Firm
Time: :48³  1:12¹  1:35³  1:59¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 2 Paid 4.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded