Never Retreat back to her best in Canadian

Never Retreat has now won or placed in 19 stakes (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Relishing a return to Woodbine, Team Block’s NEVER RETREAT (Smart Strike) capitalized on a perfect stalking trip to garner Sunday’s $309,145 Canadian S. (Can-G2). The Chris Block mare, who boosted her career bankroll past the $1 million mark, also put herself into contention for a Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion turf female. Never Retreat was making her third appearance at Woodbine this season, having captured the July 10 Dance Smartly S. (Can-G2) and finished second in the June 4 Nassau S. (Can-G2). Last time out at her home base of Arlington Park, she wound up an uncharacteristic seventh in the August 13 Beverly D. S. (G1), but rebounded in style back here.  “She loves it here,” assistant trainer Drew Coontz said. “That was one of the decisions for bringing her back here (winning the Dance Smartly).”

Under Julien Leparoux, Never Retreat prompted longshot Woolly Bear (Proud
Citizen) through steady splits of :24 and :47 3/5. Stars to Shine (Tale of the
Cat) chased in third on the outside, while Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)
winner Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) drafted just behind the leaders, and
Diana S. (G1) heroine Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune), the 3-1 favorite, was held up
toward the rear of the full field.

Never Retreat eased past Woolly Bear leaving the far turn and struck the
front. Stars to Shine covered her move and launched a bold challenge, but Never
Retreat simply spurted right away from her. Opening up by daylight in midstretch,
Never Retreat was gone by the time the deep closers got involved.

Zagora tried to mount a rally down the center of the course, but the
124-pound highweight was unable to pick up well enough. Instead, it was 24-1
shot Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul [Ire]) who caught fire late.

Although Perfect Shirl came with a rattling run inside the final furlong, she
could not catch Never Retreat, who held her off by a half-length. The winner
completed about 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:45 and paid $15.50, $7.40 and
$5.40 as the 6-1 fourth choice.

“She broke good and put me in the race nice,” said Leparoux, who later
notched a big stakes double aboard Turallure (Wando) in the Woodbine Mile
(Can-G1).  “She relaxed beautifully for me. She got to the lead very early
but she kept on going. She’s a nice filly.”

“He (Leparoux) got her settled and relaxed pretty well and did a wonderful
job,” Coontz said. “Julien said it all, ‘she’s a good filly.'”

Never Retreat held the late thrust of Perfect Shirl (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Stars to Shine salvaged third by a half-length from the closing Fantasia (GB) (Sadler’s Wells). Defending champion Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) got up for fifth, followed by Shared Account, Zagora, Bay to Bay (Sligo Bay [Ire]), Magic Broomstick (More Than Ready), Apple Charlotte (Smart Strike), Forest Uproar (Forest Wildcat), Mekong Melody (Ire) (Cape Cross [Ire]), Hooh Why (Cloud Hopping) and Woolly Bear. Never Retreat has amassed $1,058,769 in earnings from her 30-10-7-6 record. She has been in career-best form at the age of six, scoring in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2) and Honey Fox S. (G3) as well as her two Grade 2 trophies at Woodbine, and placing in the Marshua’s River S. (G3), Suwannee River S. (G3) and the aforementioned Nassau. For original trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Never Retreat was promoted to second in the 2008 Mother Goose S. (G1) and placed third in the Susan’s Girl S. Switched to Seth Benzel that fall, the dark bay captured the Rare Blend S. and checked in third in the Quick Mischief S.

Joining the Block franchise in 2009, Never Retreat placed in both the
Blushing K.D. H. and Virginia H. Tarra Illinois Owners S., but began to improve
markedly in 2010. She crossed the wire first in the Furl Sail H., only to be
demoted to second for causing interference. Never Retreat then lost on the
head-bob in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial H., and concluded her stint at Fair
Grounds with a third in the Bayou H. She was in tip-top form in the latter part
of the year, landing the Lady Canterbury S. and Kentucky Cup Ladies Turf S. and
missing by a nose to Fantasia in the River Memories S., her first try at
Woodbine.

Bred by Gerry O’Meara and Stanley Inman in Kentucky, Never Retreat was sold
for $410,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling. She is out of the
Canadian stakes-placed Lisieux (Steady Growth), who has also produced a juvenile
filly named Beaucoup (English Channel), a yearling filly by Bob and John and a
2011 filly by Flower Alley. Another Never Retreat half-sibling, Laoub (Red
Ransom), is the dam of Australian stakes winner Moulin Lady (Reset) and current
English juvenile Bannock (Bertolini), runner-up in the Richmond S. (Eng-G2) and
National S. and third in the July S. (Eng-G2).

Lisieux is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 heroine Sweetest Chant
(Mr. Leader), the dam of Grade 2 queen Danzig’s Beauty (Danzig), who in turn
produced multiple Grade 2 star and top sire Distorted Humor (Forty Niner). This
is also the family of Grade 3 scorer Liam’s Dream (Saint Liam), Grade 2 winner
Cassaleria (Pretense) and Canadian Grade 2 victor Seaside Retreat (King Cugat),
who ran seventh in Sunday’s Northern Dancer Turf S. (Can-G1).