Star Fortress Looks to Shine in Canadian Stakes

Star Fortress , a winner in 2022 in England and in 2023 in the United States, will try to add a third country to her successful stops when she races in the CA$200,000 Canadian Stakes (G2T) Aug. 10 at Woodbine.

She is one of 11 fillies and mares entered in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile turf race, though several horses—Moira , Mission of Joy , and Libban —could alternatively race Aug. 11 in the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G2T) at Colonial Downs, where they have been cross-entered. The Beverly D. and other stakes at Colonial were postponed a day from Saturday due to expected heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby.

Moira's best turf races have been on firm ground or quick-playing "good" turf. She won the Canadian Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths last year over the latter type of grass condition.

Star Fortress, a 5-year-old gray or roan Sea The Stars  mare, is talented but inconsistent. She won her initial race in the United States last year when she took the Nov. 23 Cardinal Stakes (G3T) by 10 lengths at Churchill Downs, but five follow-up starts this year have left her winless, with finishes ranging from second to 11th.

Her best performance this year came when she was a close runner-up in the May 3 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G3T) during the Belmont at the Big A meet, which was followed by an 11th in the New York Stakes (G1T) when facing some of the top turf mares in North America June 7.

She has trained at Keeneland leading up to the Canadian Stakes.

Jose Ortiz rides for trainer Cherie DeVaux and owners John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services. 

Dixiana Farms' Forever After All  is also heading north to Canada after training in Kentucky. Her form is much improved this year under trainer Brendan Walsh, who has been training her at Turfway Park on its Tapeta surface.

She has an allowance optional claiming win and three stakes placings in 2024, including when third on turf in the Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park in May. Most recently, she was second in the Anchorage Overnight Stakes on the Churchill Downs grass course.

Adam Beschizza rides.

Besides 2022 Canadian Horse of the Year Moira, trainer Kevin Attard entered Terra Racing Stable's Fashionably Fab , a winner of her lone turf start against easier Canadian-bred competition and Gold Square's Full Count Felicia , fourth in the June 29 Nassau Stakes (G2T). 

"I thought she dug in and fought hard in the Nassau," Attard said. "When you look at her form, you see a lot of races where she didn't throw the towel in. You can see that in her demeanor—she has that competitive streak in her."

Saturday's card also includes the CA$250,000 Bison City Stakes for 3-year-old Canadian-bred fillies, which drew nine horses to race 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta, led by Chiefswood Stables' Woodbine Oaks winner Kin's Concerto .

Sofia Vives, Canada's reigning champion apprentice, has been aboard the Josie Carroll-trained Kin's Concerto in all but one of her five starts. Apprentice jockeys do not get weight breaks in stakes races.

"Every race she's in, she continues to improve and always gives it her best effort," Vives said. "What has impressed me the most was the way she was able to come off the bridle when sitting behind horses in the Oaks, but turning for home, she was game to catch all the horses in front of her." 

Hurricane Clair , A Little Frisky , and Lunch With Bernie —3-4-5 in the Woodbine Oaks—are other contenders, as are stretching-out runners Dancing Duchess  and Ontario .