Il Malocchio Looks to Fend off Kentucky Foes in Seaway

A pair of Kentucky breds, Hai Bobbi  and Hazelbrook , return to Canada looking to improve upon their previous efforts in the $150,000 Seaway Stakes (G3) while Ontario-bred Il Malocchio  tries to fend off the invaders on Woodbine's all-weather track.

Last year, Hazelbrook fell short by 3/4-length to Lady Speightspeare  while Hai Bobbi was a distant eighth. The Seaway was the start of four straight graded stakes for Hazelbrook, who went 1-2-0 in those starts. Hai Bobbi's lone shot in graded company was last year's edition. In her 10 starts since, she's finished out of the top three in all but her last start, an allowance optional claimer at Woodbine. 

Il Malocchio enters off a head win in the 1 1/16-mile Trillium Stakes (G3) on the all-weather track at Woodbine. She's strung together seven straight top-four finishes. That includes a victorious Maple Leaf Stakes (G3) and a fourth in the Belle Mahone Stakes (G3).

BY THE NUMBERS

* Of the nine competitors, only two enter the race having won last time out (Il Malocchio and Hai Bobbi).

* Two of the nine trainer/jockey combinations have won better than half of their races together. Michael Stidham and Rafael Manuel Hernandez (Ready to Venture ) have a 67% winning percentage, while Kadain Gordon and Sofia Vives (Hai Bobbi) are undefeated together. 

* It's been a year to remember for Vives, who improved her earnings by 1,640%. She won $121,592 in 2022; this year that number is at $2,115,178 and counting.

* This will be the first start at seven furlongs for Vantarsi  and Purrfect .