Hicksy First Stakes Winner for Hootenanny

Oct. 30 at Woodbine, Hicksy  became the first black-type winner for stallion Hootenanny   when he captured the CA$130,000 (US$105,001) Display Stakes, an open seven-furlong race for 2-year-olds.

The Kevin Attard trainee chased pacesetting favorite Ironstone  and gradually wore that one down, passing him with around 70 yards remaining on his way to a three-quarters of a length victory. The Lanni Bloodstock-owned colt was timed in 1:23.38 on Woodbine's synthetic Tapeta surface, paying $6.60.

"He was just kind of an unassuming little horse, just kind of a straightforward horse," recalled owner Donato Lanni. "He just looked real kind and classy. I've been active in Kentucky, but I'm from Canada, from Montreal, and I always wanted to come back here and have some horses to run. I have a lot of friends and family in Toronto and it's just great to come back and hang out with my people." 

Zullu Racing Stables purchased Kentucky-bred Hicksy, the first foal out of the Even the Score  mare Fantastic Score , for $45,000 from breeder Richard Forbush's consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. After a troubled fourth in his Sept. 12 career bow at Woodbine, Hicksy broke his maiden Oct. 3 in a race also contested at the Toronto oval. 

"He's come a long way," praised Attard. "We always thought highly of him. When he came to me from Kentucky, Donato said, 'This horse is really eager, he's been showing promise.'

"When he got here, he had a few little hiccups, just kind of baby stuff. His first race, we were expecting a little more out of him, but he kind of pulled a shoe off and I think that was a good enough excuse. Obviously, his last start, he put it together with an impressive win."  

Optigogo  ran third, another three-quarters of a length behind runner-up Ironstone.

Hootenanny, standing at Ward Ranch in Kentucky, is a 9-year-old son of Quality Road  . He took of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) for longtime partners Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor during a juvenile campaign in which he also won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot and was runner-up in the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville. Trainer Wesley Ward trained Hootenanny for his entire career, which produced a 5-3-1 record from 16 starts and earnings of $876,698.

Fantastic Score produced an Exaggerator   filly this year and was bred to Mitole   for 2022.

The Minkster Impresses in Coronation Futurity

Also on the Saturday card, The Minkster  looked impressive in the 118th running of the CA$252,400 (US$203,860) Coronation Futurity.  

Heading into his first stakes appearance, first two-turn race, and first try over the Tapeta, the son of English Channel   drew high praise from his trainer Dan Vella. After a sterling performance under David Moran in the 1 1/8-mile event for 2-year-olds foaled in Canada, he earned even more kudos from his connections. 

The Minkster was sent off at odds of 13-1 in a 14-horse field, and broke alertly and sat third as Dancin in Da'nile  took his rivals through an opening quarter in :24.28.  

Improving to second, just a length behind Dancin in Da'nile after a half in :50.61, The Minkster was within a half-length of the pacesetter through three-quarters reached in 1:16.80. 

As the field made the turn for home, it turned into a two-horse race, with The Minkster grabbing a one-length lead at the stretch call as a stubborn Dancin in Da'nile refused to throw in the towel. 

The Minkster eventually drew away to record a 2 1/4-length victory. Dancin in Da'Nile finished three lengths ahead of 89-1 shot J M R Best of Turf , who was a nose ahead of fourth-place finisher Shamateur . The final time was 1:52.51. 

"We would have rather had extra races going into this, but you know, great horses do great things," raved Vella. "When you get one of this caliber, you just have to go with it and make things work." 

"He's a lovely horse," said Moran. "I think he has the makings of a nice 3-year-old. Even now as a 2-year-old he looks almost like a 3-year-old. He's got a nice, big frame to him. So, when he fills into that there's plenty of improvement I would imagine to come." 

Bred by Dr. Tan Hyka out of the winning Flatter   mare Cabriole and owned by Sea Glass Stables, the Ontario-bred arrived off an Oct. 2 debut score in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor turf course at Woodbine. After breaking inward and bumping with a rival, The Minkster went on to notch an easy 6 1/4-length score. 

Vella, who has two Queen's Plate victories, in 1994 with Basqueian and in 2012 with Strait of Dover , now looks to have another Plate contender in his stable. 

The last horse to complete the Coronation Futurity-Queen's Plate double was Norcliffe, who won this race in 1975. 

The Minkster is the fourth of five foals out of Cabriole, her fourth to race, her second winner, and her first stakes winner. She has a yearling colt by California Chrome   and no report was filed on her this year. She was reported bred to Reload   for 2022.

Aubrieta Takes Glorious Song

Aubrieta , bred and owned by Conrad Farms, returned to the winner's circle for the second time in her young career, this time in the CA$140,250 (US$113,280) Glorious Song Stakes. 

Sent on her way at 3-1 in the seven-furlong main track race for 2-year-old fillies, the Mark Casse-trained daughter of Speightster   was content to watch the early leaders duke it out before delivering her knockout punch. 

Fulminate  and Marie MacKay  battled out on the front end, leading the field through opening splits of :22.83 and :45.55. Aubrieta, under patient handling from Patrick Husbands, was positioned fourth, well within striking distance of the top two. 

When Husbands gave the Ontario-bred her cue, she responded willingly and sprinted away from her foes down the stretch, crossing the wire a two-length winner. Howdyoumakeurmoney  rallied to secure second, a neck in front of Chocolateaddiction . The final time for seven furlongs on the all-weather track was 1:22.85.

Aubrieta, who won her debut Sept. 11, was second in the Oct. 8 Shady Well Stakes. She is the second foal out of the winning Henny Hughes mare Amethea and the mare's first winner and first stakes winner. Amethea has a Tapizar   yearling colt and aborted on an Accelerate   cover this season. She was bred to Cairo Prince   for 2022.

Video: Display S. (BT)

Video: Coronation Futurity (BT)

Video: Glorious Song S. (BT)