Hernandez Sweeps Woodbine's Weekend Stakes Action
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Photo: Woodbine/Michael Burns Photo
Mrs. Barbara wins the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine
After guiding Pink Lloyd to his final career victory in the Nov. 27 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2), jockey Rafael Hernandez made a clean sweep of Woodbine's weekend stakes action with wins Sunday on Mrs. Barbara in the Mazarine (G3) and God of Love in the Grey (G3).
Mrs. Barbara, owned by Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson of Spruce Stable, put in an impressive stretch run to capture the CA$156,400 (US122,180) Mazarine and record her first stakes win.
The 2-year-old daughter of Bodemeister was stakes-placed before ever breaking her maiden, sporting a third-place finish in the Aug. 21 Catch A Glimpse Stakes, and was fourth in the Sept. 19 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at 42-1 odds for trainer Mark Casse. Stepping down to maiden company in her last start, Mrs. Barbara scored decisively over the Woodbine Tapeta main track, earning a 93 Equibase Speed Figure.
In the Mazarine, Mrs. Barbara went to post as the second choice behind the Kevin Attard-trained Moira , an impressive winner of last month's Princess Elizabeth Stakes on debut. Chocolateaddiction broke on top and emerged with the lead after an early tussle for pacesetting duties, taking the field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.11, as Hernandez kept Mrs. Barbara tucked in along the rail in fifth spot.
Chocolateaddiction continued to lead the pack, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Kanta after a half in :49.57, as Hernandez kept Mrs. Barbara in prime stalking position, sitting third while enjoying the benefits of a ground-saving inside trip.
Around the turn, Mrs. Barbara was full of run, third and gaining quickly on the leaders at the stretch call as Moira came charging up to the inside.
The two fillies then went toe-to-toe to the wire, with Mrs. Barbara fending off her rival by a half-length in a time of 1:44.64. Guileful , at 66-1, was third.
"We broke good and we saved ground in the first turn," said Hernandez. "Then we ended up behind the speed and turning for home, she did her job. I can feel he (Justin Stein aboard Moira) was coming on the inside. So, I just moved my horse a little bit so she could see the other horse coming and she kept going."
Lawson was especially emotional in the aftermath of Mrs. Barbara's Mazarine triumph.
"It's a very special moment," said Lawson. "We did name the horse after my mom. It's always tricky, but this is a superb filly, so it's very exciting. I think back to yesterday actually, and Frank Di Giulio and Pink Lloyd and them asking, 'What would your dad think of this?' And I'm sure dad (Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Mel Lawson) is looking down and is pretty pleased with what his broodmare did. This is a special filly. I love the game and I'm just fortunate to be working at it, and also being in the racing game too… it's pretty great. Mark and his team did a great job with this filly this year. It's so fun, it really is."
Mrs. Barbara, now 2-1-1 from six starts with earnings of $144,809, paid $11.20 for the win. A granddaughter of three-time Canadian champion mare Eternal Search, she was bred in Kentucky by Jim Dandy Stable and is out of the Housebuster mare Destroy. The dam of 10 winners from 12 starters, Destroy is also the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Smokey Fire and stakes winner Utterly Cool, both sired by Smoke Glacken, and stakes winners Ghost Fleet (Arch), Flame Mingo (Blame ), as well as the graded stakes-placed mare Search the Church (Holy Bull). Her most recent foal is a yearling Ransom the Moon colt named One for Chap and she was bred to Midnight Storm for 2022.
Video: Mazarine S. (G3)
A race later, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's God of Love rolled home late under Hernandez to notch his second stakes victory in the CA$174,800 ($136,553) Grey Stakes (G3).
God of Love rallies late to capture the Grey Stakes
The third choice in the 10-horse field, God of Love broke slow and had one horse beat as favored Churchtown led the field through early splits of :24.42 and :49.58. As Churchtown was joined by Ironstone around the turn, God of Love began picking off his rivals from the back of the pack past three-quarters in 1:14.41. Floated six wide into the lane, God of Love rallied powerfully, clearing his foes by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire.
Ironstone was second 1 1/2 lengths in front of On Thin Ice in third. Churchtown faded to fourth. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta was 1:44.20. God of Love paid $11.60.
"This race was really kind of an obsession for me because it's kind of rematch from the last one because I got a bad trip last time," said Hernandez. "So many horses stopped in front of me (last time) I had to take a hold a few times, and he was coming running. Today they told me, 'Rafi, make sure you're keeping clear. Let him do his race'. That's what we did. He came out running. He showed up and played his game."
It was the second stakes score for God of Love, who captured the Cup and Saucer Stakes Oct. 10. The win also gave trainer Mark Casse the Sunday stakes double.
The first graded stakes winner for his sire Cupid , God of Love, now 2-0-0 from four starts, has bankrolled $208,993. He was bred in Ontario by the late Bill Graham and is out the winning Three Wonders mare No Wonder and comes from the family of grade 1 winners Wemissfrankie and Stormy Pick. No Wonder is the dam of five winners from five foals to race, including the 2018 Clarendon Stakes victor Muskoka Wonder (Into Mischief ). God of Love was sold to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners for $100,000 earlier this year at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds-in-Training, where he was consigned by Golden Thoroughbreds Training and Sales. No Wonder produced a Where's the Ring filly this year and was bred to Ami's Holiday for 2022.