World Cup Wonder tops G2 Molson Export
The Molson Export
Grade II
A mile and one eighth
Firm Turf
$300,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
The Molson Export in Ontario features some of the best filly and mare turfers in the game, including 2 G1 winners. Lots of pace signed on for this 9 furlong event for fillies and mares on the firm turf course. The solid favorite, World Cup Wonder comes in off 3 straight Graded wins, including last out in the G1 Princess Di Cap. Only 7 entered to run here, but it looks like a wide open one!
PP #1 City Tavern-Duke Of Marmalade x Giant’s Causeway x Forty Niner, 5-1 with P Dylan up (10.6%)
Stable: Gipper Stables (Universal Racing Club)
This Duke Of Marmalade filly, just like her mother, a G2 winner herself, is a very consistent filly. Last out, coming off a 2 length allowance win, she ran in the G1 Cedora D Stakes at 9.5 furlongs on a firm turf, one of the main turf races for fillies and mares in the summer. She trailed a 6 horse field for much of the race, and failed to ever make up ground, finishing 4th beaten almost 9 lengths. She did run behind some very tough fillies in that G1 though. She’s a very good filly, but I’m not sure she can win against this competition.
PP #2 Bichita Gramera-Deep Impact x Nureyev x Mr. Prospector, 4-1 with B Renfroe up (19.7%)
Stable: Otto Haack (Venezuela) (Hispano Parlante)
Deep Impact filly who has earned more than $1.1 million, and is a multiple G1 winner, comes in off a disappointing run behind the favorite World Cup Wonder in the G1 Princess Di Cap. At 9 furlongs on the firm Upper New York turf course, she sat in 4th for most of the race, and could never muster up a rally finishing 7th beaten 7. Three back, in the G1 Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff at 9 furlongs, she ran one of her best races to date, winning by more than 2 lengths, with a 109 speed. Maybe an off day last out, but I wouldn’t be too confident with her in this spot.
PP #3 Sooty-Dansili x Green Desert x Rainbow Quest, 6-1 with T LeVan up (8.6%)
Stable: Beefcake Stables (New Residency)
One of the pace factors in the race, this Dansili filly has never run in a graded race, and has only run 5 times this year. Last out in a 9f listed over a firm course, after going out in front by more than 3 lengths, she gave it up early, finishing 4th beaten 9 ¼. Two back, she ran her highest speed figure in her career, but she couldn’t get the win, finishing behind a rival in here, Saddle Dance. She sat off Saddle Dance the whole race, never getting closer than a length to her rival, she finished 2nd beaten 1 ¼ with a 108 speed. Another good filly, but she might not be good enough to compete with these.
PP #4 Turning The Page-Street Cry x Sadler’s Wells x A.P. Indy, 7-1 with V Townsend up (11%)
Stable: Desperado Stables (Blazing Saddles)
Royally bred Street Cry filly is another pace factor. Having run 23 times, this filly is a winner and stakes placed on both surfaces. Last out, she ran a big one, but only in a 9 furlong turf allowance. She took a 6 ½ length lead at the 3rd call, and had enough to hold on by almost 3. She earned a 104 speed. She has run 6 times on the turf, with only one off the board finish, and 3 wins, but she has never faced anything like she will face in this G2. She will spice it up early, but looks in over her head a bit.
PP #5 Saddle Dance-Danehill Dancer x Sadler’s Wells x Seeking The Gold, 4-1 with N Linville up (18.6%)
Stable: Otistaylor Stable Group (Blazing Saddles)
Another royally bred filly, this one a rapidly improving filly by Danehill Dancer. She brings impressive back to back wins into this one, both were listed stakes. Last out, she ran in an 8.5 furlong listed stake in Italy over a firm course. She made the lead easily, and opened up 4 lengths at the 3rd call. She had enough in the stretch, to hold by a diminishing length, she did earn a 109 speed. Two back, she ran another impressive race, this time at today’s distance of 9 furlongs. She again made the lead, opened up some at the 3rd call, and won by 1 ¼, with another 109 speed. Another pace factor, but this one will probably be around late.
PP #6 World Cup Wonder-A.P. Indy x Mr. Prospector x Northern Dancer, 2-1 favorite with R Heenan up (14.3%)
Stable: Ponies of Maloney’s (Itch) (Comedy Central)
Donny Beisbol had his quest for a G1, well longtime sim player itch won his first G1 ever with this lovely mare after 10 years of playing this great game. It happened in her 41st start, last out in the G1 Princess Di Cap, the sim equivalent to the Diana at Saratoga. She sat in 2nd, but pretty far behind a runaway leader. She started to make a move coming around the turn, and got up over that runaway pace setter and also held off a late run from a 14-1 longshot to win by ½ a length, with a 108 speed. Two back, over this Ontario turf course, she ran a similar race, she was closer in lengths to the lead, but in 5th early. She moved into 2nd at the 3rd call, and again held off a late challenge and also got past the pace setter late. With a win here, this mare stamps a trip to the Breeders Bowl F & M Turf, and I hate to jinx trainer itch, but I think she will get the job done here.
PP #7 Fuchsia Sky-Fusaichi Pegasus x Sky Mesa x Sadler’s Wells, 5-1 with C Muncie up (10.2%)
Stable: Otistaylor Stable Group (Blazing Saddles)
The outside post position goes to this filly, the second entrant from the Oitstaylor stables. A former claimer, you could’ve had this one for 30k in January, and now she had a legit shot in a 300k G2. Last out, this filly won a listed over a firm turf course going 9 furlongs. She sat in the perfect spot in 3rd in the early stages. She moved into 2nd at the 3rd call and went on to win easily by 2 ½. She was given a nice 106 speed. Two back, she had an off day finishing 5th beaten more than 10 lengths. Another one that likes to be close early, but she will have to work for it with all the pace in here. A shot, but she needs to step it up again.
Morning Line: 6-2-5-1-7-3-4
Gowans: 6-5-1-7
Lots of pace signed on here, we’ll see if the favorite World Cup Wonder can get the perfect trip sitting right off that pace, and hold off any late challenges.
Good luck to all the connections in this one!