Amalfi Coast Makes the Grade in Woodbine's Bessarabian
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Photo: Michael Burns
Amalfi Coast and Eurico Rosa da Silva storm home to win the Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine
Dom Romeo's Terra Racing Stable homebred Amalfi Coast added another stakes win to the résumé of jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva this weekend at Woodbine and picked up the first graded score of her career Nov. 24 in the CA$200,050 (US$150,399) Bessarabian Stakes (G2).
"In the paddock, (trainer) Kevin (Attard) had so much confidence," da Silva said. "I think she sensed that confidence."
In a stacked field of 12 older fillies and mares, it was Special Relativity who broke sharpest from the far outside post. Gamble's Candy and Luis Contreras sliced through the center of the pack, cutting between a rail-skimming Zestina and Special Relativity to take the lead.
Gamble's Candy set fractions of :23.18 and :45.99 through the half-mile. Still the one to beat as the field reached the top of the stretch, Gamble's Candy dug in through the final furlongs and briefly extended her lead to two lengths.
Da Silva angled Amalfi Coast into the five path off the turn and asked for more, and the two broke away from the pack with ease to chase down Gamble's Candy, who could not fend off the last-minute charge.
Amalfi Coast crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths clear and completed the seven furlongs on the all-weather course in 1:22.03. Painting was declared runner-up in a photo finish with Special Relativity. Zestina took fourth ahead of Gamble's Candy in fifth. Heavenly Hill, Above All Names, Misericordia, Red Cabernet, Lady Mamba, Souper Striking, and Xenobia completed the order of finish.
"The trip was great. When we turned for home, the filly took off," da Silva said. "On the gallop out, another filly was trying to pass her, and she went to take off again. She ran a brilliant race today."
Bred in Ontario, Amalfi Coast is out of the Include mare Include Katherine. The daughter of Tapizar entered Sunday's race off two stakes victories at Woodbine—the Oct. 20 Carotene Stakes and Sept. 22 Ontario Damsel Stakes. Unraced at 2, Amalfi Coast broke her maiden on her fourth start in an Aug. 2 maiden special weight at Woodbine.
"She's a nice filly. She's trained really well," Attard said. "Obviously, the cutback to seven-eighths was a little bit of a challenge for her, but when a horse has confidence, then they can do anything.
"We always had high hopes for her. She trained really well as a 2-year-old and was close to running, but she needed a little time off. We started her up early in 2019, and when she started working, she showed that talent that she was showing last year as a juvenile. Her first race was stellar. It looked like it was just a matter of time before she was going to break her maiden. It took her a few more starts, and the addition of blinkers seems to really have picked her up."
As to whether the filly will head south to the United States to pursue a winter campaign, Attard said the decision will be up to her connections.
"When they're this good, it's hard to stop on them," Attard said. "We will discuss that with the Romeos and decide her future."
Da Silva, who won the Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) aboard Pink Lloyd Saturday, had nothing but well wishes and smiles to offer his fellow competitors. The veteran jockey, who has been the leading rider at Woodbine the past four seasons, announced this year that he would retire at the end of 2019.
"I've been spoiled for good horses and blessed to have the trust of these great trainers," da Silva said. "It's been a blast for me. I have a lot of support, and I have my wife, who supports me every day. I have a great family behind me and great friends. I'm a lucky man. I'm having fun, and I want to wish everybody good luck."