Academic Pulls 66-1 Woodbine Oaks Upset
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Bear Stables' recent maiden winner Academic upstaged favorite London Tower June 14 at Woodbine, powering gate to wire to win the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser in a 66-1 upset.
The speed-loving Henny Hughes filly broke her maiden in style May 15 at Woodbine, grabbing control early and holding on for a neck victory. Trainer Reade Baker took an ambitious step up with her in Sunday's classic for Canadian-bred fillies and she did not disappoint, again leading at every point of call, but this time winning with complete authority.
Steve Owens' London Tower, who started a step slow, was bidding to become the first horse in Oaks history to win the race for an owner/breeder/trainer, but had to settle for second, 1 3/4 lengths behind Academic. Season Ticket checked in third, a nose back.
Guided by Justin Stein, Academic laid down fractions of :23.63, :48.01, and 1:12.33 through six furlongs, chased by Internal Bourbon. Opening up by 4 1/2 lengths in early stretch, with Internal Bourbon fading, she was in no danger of being caught as London Tower rallied from midpack in an all-out drive.
Academic completed 1 1/8 mile on the all-weather track in 1:48.86, giving Baker his second win in the race following his 2005 victory with Gold Strike. The final time was almost a full second faster than the Plate Trial winner Danish Dynaformer, the race before the Oaks, when he was clocked in 1:49.81.
Academic made three starts at 2-years-old, racing exclusively at Woodbine, with her best effort coming in her season finale in October when she was second, edged by just a neck, after setting the pace. Given seven months off, she roared back to break her maiden in her 2015 debut and was unstoppable in the Oaks.
"I didn't even have to ride her to the wire," said Stein, who was celebrating his first Oaks win. He also won the 2012 Queen's Plate aboard Strait of Dover. "The last few jumps I looked over and we had it wrapped up. Inside the 70-yard pole, I looked up and there was no one coming. I couldn't believe it.
"I knew we were going at a good clip, but she was real comfortable. She was relaxed, but I had a lot of horse. At the three-eighths pole, when they came to her a little bit, I just let her out a notch and they had to run hard to get to her there. At that point, when I opened her up again, she was going easy and had so many gears left."
Spring Farm bred Academic from the unraced Awesome Again mare Awesome Lass, also the dam of Awesome Fire, a Strong Contender filly who was third in the 2012 Woodbine Oaks and winner of the Wonder Where Stakes, and stakes winner Secret Wish, by Street Cry.
Bear Stables landed Academic for $54,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, where she was consigned by Flying Fish, agent. Prior to that, she was a $20,000 RNA at the select portion of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Canadian premier yearling sale when offered by her breeder.
Academic returned $135, $30.40, and $10.80, and London Tower paid $3.20 and $2.40. Season Ticket returned $3.60 to show.
Shez a Masterpiece was fourth, followed by Galina Point, Brooklynsway, Tancook, Red River Heidi, Leading Edge, and Internal Bourbon to complete the order of finish.