Finale, Northern Passion prevail over the Woodbine turf

Finale gave Todd Pletcher a second consecutive win in the Summer at Woodbine (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) One year after Pluck (More Than Ready) used the Summer S. (Can-G3) as a stepping-stone to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2), trainer Todd Pletcher has the chance to sweep the two races again, this time with Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s FINALE (Scat Daddy). Favored at 4-5 in the $259,666 Summer at Woodbine on Saturday, the dark bay punched his ticket to the now Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs on November 5 with a grinding three-quarters of a length score over 15-1 Excaper (Exchange Rate). Positioned prominently in third as Excaper set splits of :23 4/5 and :47, Finale challenged that leader in the stretch, moved ahead slightly a furlong out, then gamely turned back Excaper’s attempt at a re-rally. Under John Velazquez, Finale finished up one mile on the firm turf in 1:35 2/5. He returned $3.70, $3.10 and $2.10. “He didn’t leave the gate very good,” Velazquez said. “I actually hit the door and the iron went all the way to my foot. I had to break and get a position where I wanted to be and place my feet back where they were supposed to be. After that he took me very well the first part of the race. At the quarter pole, I thought he was going to finish a little better than what he did. I think he was having a hard time with the grass. It was a little bit on the soft side and he was running at the other horse (Excaper), but he didn’t have that quick spurt out of him.”

Excaper was clearly second best, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of deep closer and 5-1
chance Daddy Nose Best (Scat Daddy). The latter edged 3-1 second choice Maritimer
(Stormy Atlantic) for third by a neck. Burn the Mortgage (Kitten’s Joy), Making
Amends (Repent), Jomelo (Giacomo) and Secret Consultant (War Front) rounded out
the order of finish.

According to Velazquez, Finale spun his wheels in his first two starts on
dirt. Third in the mud at Belmont Park on May 5, he fared worse on fast ground a
month later when fourth by more than 11 lengths. A change in surface on July 15
at Belmont produced immediate dividends as Finale coasted by 5 3/4 lengths going
six furlongs. Favored at 1-5 in his stakes debut last time in the Continental
Mile at Monmouth Park, Finale pummeled an overmatched field by 10 1/2 lengths.
This victory boosted his career bankroll to $237,345.

Bred by Susan Bunning in Kentucky, Finale was a $175,000 Keeneland November
weanling purchase. Produced by Twinkle (Lively One), Finale is a half-brother to
Grade 3 winner Bright One (Dance Brightly). This female family is also
responsible for Grade 1 vixen Alma North (Northern Dancer).

Finale descends from Mumtaz Begum (GB) (*Blenheim II), the dam of influential
sire *Nasrullah (*Nearco).

Northern Passion (far right) drove up the inside to land the Natalma and punch a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) From a purely mathematical standpoint, owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse had a one-in-four chance of winning the $240,345 Natalma S. (Can-G3) for juvenile fillies as three of the 12 entrants adorned Oxley’s classic-winning gray and yellow silks. In the end it was the more highly favored of the uncoupled trio, NORTHERN PASSION (First Samurai), who punched her ticket to Churchill Downs for the November 4 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2) with an authoritative last-to-first rally. Breaking from post 10, Northern Passion was allowed to settle at the rear of the field by Luis Contreras down the backside. Riding the rail around the far turn, Northern Passion encountered little traffic while advancing through the field. Fifth with a quarter-mile remaining, the chestnut continued to surge up the inside and wore down the pace-pressing Dayatthespa (City Zip) in the final furlong to win going away by 1 1/4 lengths. The 6-1 fourth choice, Northern Passion paid $14.70, $6.80 and $4.20 after completing one mile in 1:35. “No, it wasn’t,” said Contreras when asked if his game plan was to take an inside path. “But the race went like that and I just took my chance of getting my horse clear.”

Dayatthespa, who tracked in second as Quality Lass (Exclusive Quality) set
fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 2/5, seized control from that rival approaching the
three-quarter marker. A length clear after six furlongs in 1:11 1/5, she
continued to maintain that advantage through most of the stretch run but
couldn’t contain the winner. The 9-2 second choice, Dayatthespa was two lengths
clear of 17-1 chance Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) at the wire. Fourth was
another Oxley-Casse entrant, Spirited Miss (Sky Mesa), who was followed by 5-2
favorite Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun), Ten K Cat (Tale of the Cat), Sky Dreamer
(Sky Mesa), Runfor Ro (Afleet Alex), St Pancras (Scat Daddy), Quality Lass, Evil
Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) and Welcome Dance (Henny Hughes). Anna Sophia (Oasis Dream
[GB]) was scratched.

Northern Passion made a winning debut at Woodbine on July 9, rallying from
mid-pack to take a 5 1/2-furlong maiden by 1 1/4 lengths on the Polytrack.
Remaining on that surface for the August 13 Ontario Debutante S. at 6 1/2
furlongs, the chestnut made another nice close but fell short of catching Tu
Endie Wei (Johar) by a half-length in a runner-up effort. Her career earnings
now stand at $235,707.

Bred in Ontario by Mel Lawson, Northern Passion was a $220,000 OBS March
two-year-old in training purchase. She was produced by the stakes-placed A Touch
of Glory (Golden Gear), who has subsequently reared yearling and weanling full
sisters to the Natalma winner. A Touch of Glory is a full sister to Canadian
champion and 2001 Natalma winner Ginger Gold, and a half-sister to Coronation
Futurity winner Kesagami (Carson City). This is the family of Grade 3 winner
Take Note of Me (Notebook) and, further back, 1945 Kentucky Derby hero Hoop, Jr.
(*Sir Gallahad III).