by John Mucciolo
A pair of stakes events will top the action north of the border on Saturday at Woodbine. The main attraction is the $125,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3), which drew a field of 10 sophomore fillies. The one-mile, inner turf affair features a deep field of talented prospects.
Chad Brown’s Seek and Destroy bagged the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park two back, prior to her third-place finish in the recent Wild Applause Stakes. The bay filly by Verrazano brings a lot of versatility to the cast and will be tough to deny with her best under Luis Contreras.
Local hope Sister Peacock has been either first or second in each of her six lifetime tries for conditioner Stuart Simon. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Real Solution has earned a pair of stakes wins in succession leading up to this affair, including one on this turf course last out. The consistently good three-year-old will be prominent from the start under Jesse Campbell.
Godolphin homebred Carnival Colors is an interesting contender at big odds for trainer Michael Stidham. The well-bred Distorted Humor daughter was a head second in the Mazarine Stakes (G3) on the Woodbine Tapeta in her juvenile finale, and she kicked off 2019 with an allowance win at Laurel Park in her grassy bow. Emma-Jayne Wilson has the assignment.
Group 3 heroine Queen of Bermuda has placed in two straight turf sprint stakes and is intriguing on the stretch out for Graham Motion. The import draws the rail and will have Alan Garcia at the controls. Three-time stakes queen Speedy Soul will make her turf debut as one of two in the field for Mark Casse. Souper Speedy filly has two turf-winning siblings and could follow in their footsteps if she carries her form over to the lawn.
Also in the field is debut winner Holyanna from the barn of Kevin Attard. The impressive Stronach homebred is a half-sister to 2017 Queen’s Plate victress Holy Helena, the recent winner of the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2). The Point of Entry filly could be any kind and will be guided home by top pilot Eurico Da Silva.
