Il Malocchio Gives Drexler Noteworthy Win in Bison City
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Photo: Michael Burns
Jockey Patrick Husbands celebrates a victory from II Malocchio in the Bison City Stakes at Woodbine
Il Malocchio , coming off a third in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, stalked the pace from fourth and rallied smartly through the lane to give trainer Marty Drexler the biggest win of his career in the CA$250,000 (US$198,209) Bison City Stakes Aug. 28 at Woodbine.
In winning the 1 1/16-mile Bison City by a half-length under Patrick Husbands, Il Malocchio dispatched five fellow Canadian-bred sophomore fillies, including the highly fancied Miss Speedy , who faltered to finish fourth at odds of 2-5.
"She ran a big race today," said Husbands, who rode his leading eighth stakes winner of the meet. "Last time she tricked me. By the quarter-pole I thought I had the race won, but when I asked her she paused for about three strides and those three strides cost me the Oaks.
"Today, before we swung for home, I made sure I had her in gear."
The Bison City unfolded as expected with Miss Speedy, unbeaten in two previous starts, went straight to the front from her inside post and led by 2 1/2 lengths through a quarter in :23.57 and a half in :46.68. While she maintained a 2 1/2-length lead through six furlongs in 1:11.13, her supremacy was about to be threatened as first Emmeline and then Il Malocchio loomed large.
Emmeline, who nosed out Il Malocchio for second money in the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks, raced closest to Miss Speedy throughout and led by a head over Il Malocchio with a furlong to run, only to succumb grudgingly Il Malocchio stopped the clock in 1:43.42.
The second-place finish was the fourth straight for the hard-luck Emmeline, who remains a maiden after seven starts.
Cielo d'Oro closed for third, three lengths behind the runner-up and three-quarters of a length before Miss Speedy. Miss Marie and Youens rounded out the order of finish.
Owned and bred by Franco Meli, Il Malocchio at age 2 won a stakes and placed in another at Woodbine before she was sent south to trainer Kenny McPeek with a long-term eye toward the Woodbine Oaks. After finishing third in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, the Souper Speedy daughter was up the track in the Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) but then finished second in a 1 1/8-mile off the turf allowance race at Keeneland.
Back home with Drexler at Woodbine, Il Malocchio opened up with a fourth-place finish in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes before her solid effort in the Woodbine Oaks, where she was beaten 1 1/4 lengths. From 10 career starts, she has a 2-3-2 record with earnings of $282,789.
"She's special," said Drexler. "In my barn we run a lot of cheaper, middle claimers. We don't have a lot of horses like this. It's nice to get one that you can play on this stage."
Sent off as the 9-2 third choice, Il Malocchio returned $11.50 to win. She is the lone winner from three foals out of the unraced Sligo Bay mare Egbert Bay , who was bred to Lookin At Lucky for 2022.
The Bison City followed the Woodbine Oaks as the second leg of Canada's triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. The Wonder Where Stakes, at 1 1/4 miles on the E. P. Taylor Turf Course, concludes the series Oct. 2
"She gives it all; she's going to be getting close to being over the top," said Drexler. "But, I have to think that's where we're going to aim."