Baby No Worries Looks for Win on Grass in Royal North

Baby No Worries  will make her second straight start at Woodbine June 3 when the 4-year-old takes on 10 female rivals in the CA$175,000 Royal North Stakes (G2T), the first turf stakes race of the 2023 season. 

The bay daughter of Mr Speaker  , trained by Tim Girten, raced in the Whimsical Stakes (G3) last time out, rallying for third in the six-furlong main track race May 13.

“I was happy with it,” said Girten. “She made a good run. She got pinched at the start, but I don’t think that affected her too much because of her style of coming from off the pace. The winner (Our Flash Drive ) is an impressive horse, but we’re going to chase her again.”

The Chan E Brook Stables’ filly will now test out the E.P. Taylor Turf Course (at 6 1/2 furlongs) for the first time in what will be her 16th start. She was last of 10 in one prior grass try at Tampa Bay Downs.

“She has developed really nicely into a very mature 4-year-old,” Girten said. “She’s really maturing, growing up and progressing. She’s very quiet and pleasant around the barn. She keeps to herself, not a horse that demands attention. She can be protective of her stall space, that ‘This is my house’ type of attitude. She’s got a confident presence about her.”

Bred in Kentucky by Cave Brook Farm, Baby No Worries is 3-3-4 from 15 starts, with her latest victory coming this January at Turfway Park when she came from last of 12 to post a half-length score in a six-furlong allowance.

Girten came away impressed after his first up-close look at the E.P. Taylor course.

“When I was there for the grade 3 race, you use the walkway to get to the main track, and it looked absolutely fantastic," he said. "To see the thickness and the firmness of the turf, it looked like one of the best turf courses I’ve ever walked on. It looked beautiful.” ​

Other hopefuls include multiple graded stakes-placed Bay Storm , with John Velazquez in the irons for trainer Jonathan Thomas; seven-time winner Adaay in Asia , making her North American debut for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and MyRacehorse; Live Oak Plantation's Our Flash Drive; Kevin Attard trainee Demodog ; Gary Barber's graded stakes placed Imagery ; Millie Girl , looking for her first graded stakes win; Lordship Stud's import Sweet Enough ; grade 3 placed Ambassador Luna ; and 3 Sons Racing Stable's Forest Drift .