Luster Poised to Keep Sparkling in Woodbine Oaks

Luster , coming off her first graded stakes victory in the June 27 Selene Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, figures to shine when she battles six other Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies in the July 19 Woodbine Oaks.

The CA$500,000 Woodbine Oaks is the richest of four stakes on a loaded Sunday card that further includes the CA$200,000 Plate Trial, the CA$200,000 Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T), and the CA$200,000 Nassau Stakes (G2T). The Woodbine Oaks and the Plate Trial—both of which could propel 3-year-olds into the CA$1 million King's Plate Stakes Aug. 15—are at 1 1/8 miles on the track's Tapeta surface. The Connaught Cup and Nassau stakes are conversely on the inner turf, contested at 7 1/2 furlongs and a mile, respectively.

The Oaks and Plate Trial will both be shown live in Canada on CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca, and the CBC Sports YouTube channel, with the broadcast starting at 5 p.m. ET. Post time for the Woodbine Oaks, race 10, is 5:57 p.m., 35 mins after the Plate Trial.

Josie Carroll, the trainer of Luster, bids for a fourth victory in the Woodbine Oaks—a race the Canadian Racing Hall of Famer previously won with Kin's Concerto  (2024), Curlin's Voyage  (2020), and Inglorious  (2011). Inglorious followed the Woodbine Oaks by beating males in the Plate, one of Carroll's trio of wins in the prestigious race. 

Carroll saddles both Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen's Luster and Chiefswood Stables' Bold Time  in the Woodbine Oaks. Luster is the likely favorite, while Bold Time is a midpriced threat after finishing a lackluster fifth in the Selene following an awkward start. Both Luster and Bold Time are gray or roans, with Luster being by Knicks Go   and Bold Time a homebred daughter of Not This Time  .

Luster was bought at auction, acquired out of the Machmer Hall Sales consignment to the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $80,000 by agent Ben Gowans.

She is 3-for-4, having won her debut at Woodbine last summer and an allowance race at Keeneland this spring in two efforts on turf. She then lost for the first time when third in the May 16 Ruling Angel Stakes over 7 furlongs in her first race on Tapeta before rebounding in the 1 1/16-mile Selene. She stalked the pace in the latter race before taking command in the stretch under Fraser Aebly for a 1 3/4-length victory.

American jockey John Velazquez, who rode her to victory at Keeneland, regains the mount in the Woodbine Oaks.

The 2-3-5 finishers from the Selene—Katie's Grace , Dixie Law , and the aforementioned Bold Time—return in the Woodbine Oaks.

Trainer Catherine Day Phillips added blinkers to Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Hubert Vester's Katie's Grace in the Selene, and the result was a career-best performance in defeat. She contended at 34-1 odds under jockey Ryan Munger.

"I thought the blinkers were very effective in what we were trying to achieve," Day Phillips said. "She was on the bridle and Ryan was able to get her into a good position. She finished up very well with the return to two turns and I was very happy to see her have a strong gallop out, especially since we are going a little further on Sunday."

Coming out of a separate race, three-time stakes winner Piper's Gift  seems an even bigger threat to Luster. She captured the 7-furlong Fury Stakes June 6 for Chiefswood Stables and trainer Dale Desruisseaux in her last outing. The daughter of Yorkton   is 4-for-4 on Tapeta, compared to 0-for-3 on turf.

Desruisseaux also starts graded stakes winner Dixie Law.

Supporting Stakes Action

A deeper field is assembled for the Plate Trial, where a dozen Canadian-bred 3-year-old males compete, led by Manfred and Penny Conrad's multiple stakes winner Casson , trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse. The son of Caravaggio  was third most recently in the June 27 Marine Stakes (G3), his second loss in as many starts at a mile or longer. Those two routes each came in graded company.

Casse also runs the twice stakes-placed Military Time , a Gun Runner   colt, for owners Gary Barber and St. Elias Stable. Military Time is experienced at the distance, having run second to Plate Trial competitor Fire and Wine  in the 2025 Coronation Futurity at 1 1/8 miles.

Stepping up in class and distance is Chiefswood Stables' homebred Powell River , a son of Justify   trained by Katerina Vassilieva. He broke through at the maiden level June 14 at Woodbine after two seconds to begin his career at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park this spring. All three races came around two turns.

Racing near the pace throughout in his maiden triumph, his first race on Tapeta, Powell River briefly yielded the lead before regaining the advantage en route to a 1 1/2-length victory at 1 1/16 miles.

"I was impressed at how he hung tough," Vassilieva said, adding that he has "grit and competitiveness about him."

The Plate Trial precedes the Woodbine Oaks as the ninth race.

The Nassau kicks off the stakes action in the eighth race, while the Connaught Cup is the last of the four black-type events as the 11th on the 14-race card.

Sterling Stables and MHM Stables' Vina Arana  is suited to the two-turn mile of the Nassau, and appears likely to benefit from a cut back in trip after running third in the 1 1/16-mile Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) May 30 at Churchill Downs for trainer Jack Sisterson.

Carlo D'Amato's Awesome Bourbon  is similarly proficient over 7 1/2 furlongs in the Connaught Cup. Three of his four turf victories have come at either 7 1/2 furlongs or a mile for trainer Abraham Katryan.