My Dear and Ballade Stakes

2024 My Dear and Ballade Stakes

Bullet heads to the winner’s circle after the My Dear Stakes.

Date: 7/13/2024

There were two stakes at Woodbine on Saturday for the female sprinters, headlined by the $125,000 My Dear Stakes for two-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs over the main Tapeta track. Conditions were typical for mid-July in Southern Ontario with sunny skies and a high temperature of 28.4 C (83.1 F). Bullet was sent off as the 1-2 favorite of her debut win in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park on May 11. In to challenge her included 9-2 second choice Obliging off her debut win at Monmouth Park on June 1, and 10-1 third choice Bound to be True, winner of her debut at Woodbine on June 8.

Bullet rallies down the center in the stretch.

90-1 longest shot Lithica was quickest out of the chute through an opening quarter of 22.82 before 11-1 fourth choice Carlisle Bay took over on the turn through a half in 46.15. Turning for home, Bullet, 4th early under Patrick Husbands, came out 4 wide to sweep to the front through 5f in 58.33. Kept to task by Husbands, Bullet drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths over late-running 14-1 Soupergirl in 1:04.85. It was another length back to Carlisle Bay third.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey              Win   Place  Show
 7   Bullet             Husbands           3.10    2.60  2.50
 1   Soupergirl         Hernandez                  7.00  4.60
 8   Carlisle Bay       Wilson                           4.70
  	 
Winning Time:  1:04.85

$1 Exacta 7-1                13.35
$2 Trifecta 7-1-8           141.40
$2 Superfecta 6-1-8-9       766.30

Left: Bullet in the winner’s circle. Winning jockey Patrick Husbands said, “She’s one of them, trust me she’s one of them (best 2-year-old fillies he’d ridden). You could do anything with this filly. You can go to the lead, you can do anything.”

Right: Bullet gets hosed off after the race.

Left: Bullet heads out to the track before the race. Husbands added, “This is about the fourth time I’ve gotten on her – she’s all class.”

Right: Bullet heads to the winner’s circle.

Left: Second place finisher Soupergirl returs after the race. The Martin Drexler trainee improved her record to 1 wins and 1 second in 2 starts, earning $70,770 for owners Mark Cornett and Agave Racing Stable.

Right: Third place finisher Carlisle Bay walks over before the race. The Barbara Minshall trainee improved her record to 1 wins and 1 third in 2 starts, earning $40,691 for owners Hunter Valley Farm, Richie Galway, Frank Hutchinson, and Lynch Bages Ltd.

Pleasure’s Gold wins the Ballade Stakes

Closing out the stakes duo, the $100,000 Ballade Stakes featured a field of 8 Ontario-sired older fillies and mares going 6 furlongs on the main course. Lantana Lady was sent off as the 3-2 favorite off a close second place finish in an allowance on June 15. In to challenge her included 4-1 second choice Pleasure’s Gold, winless since November and 7th in an allowance on May 25, and 9-2 third choice Veri Gizmo, third in an allowance on June 15.

12-1 Indian Music was quickest away through an opening quarter of 22.02 before 5-1 fourth choice Foolish Games took over on the far turn through a half in 44.72 while stalked by favorite Lantana Lady. Into the stretch Foolish Games continued to lead through 5f in 57.27 before tiring badly. Pleasure’s Gold, 4th early under Rafael Hernandez, came out 4 wide into the stretch and outfinished late-closing 8-1 Talk to Ya Later to win by 3/4 length in 1:10.31. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to favorite Lantana Lady third.

Results chart

Left: Pleasure’s Gold in the winner’s circle. Winning jockey Rafael Hernandez said, “The pace was really fast. We just sat there, do our own thing, turn for home, put her clear, and she gave me everything. This horse is so classy. She was just rolling.”
Right: Pleasure’s Gold heads back to the barn.

Left: Pleasure’s Gold heads out to the track before the race. Winning co-owner Elizabeth Linkrish said, “Yes it is (exciting). Truthfully I couldn’t see her because Gord (husband and co-owner) had the binoculars, I asked where is she, and there she was!” Gordon Linkrish added, “Never (get tired of winning races). It’s like winning a golf tournament, it’s always great. I was never concerned because the pace was so fast and I thought Rafael rode a magnificent race.”

Right: Pleasure’s Gold heads to the winner’s circle.

Left: Second place finisher Talk To Ya Later heads out from the paddock. The Ian Black trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds in 18 starts, earning $180,527 for owner Piano Bar Racing.

Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Lantana Lady returns after the race. The Steve Attard trainee improved her record to 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 11 starts, earning $215,775 for owner-breeder Brian Cullen.

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