Academic Back at Woodbine for Maple Leaf

Bear Stables' Academic will look to clear another hurdle in the $150,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (Can-III) Oct. 31 at Woodbine.



A winner against males over dirt in her last two starts—the Canadian Derby (Can-III) at Northlands Park and the British Columbia Derby (Can-III) at Hastings Racecourse—the Henny Hughes filly will return to the same Woodbine synthetic main track and the same 1 1/4-mile distance of the Queen's Plate, a race she didn't finish after sprinting out to the early lead.



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Academic won impressively over the Woodbine synthetic a start before the Queen's Plate, in the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks June 14.



But in Maple Leaf the Reade Baker trainee will tackle older fillies and mares for the first time since she broke her maiden at Woodbine in May. She'll carry the highweight of 123 pounds in the Maple Leaf as one of two 3-year-olds in the 10-horse field, along with Midnight Miley, a stakes-winning daughter of Midnight Lute   who has won her last two starts at Woodbine.



Bill Mott-trained Flipcup, a winner last time out in the Classy 'n Smart Stakes at Woodbine, and Mark Casse-trained Theogony, victress of the Belle Mahone Stakes last time out—also at Woodbine—are the only other stakes winners in the field.



Stakes-placed Dido, Aguafria, and Finn's Jewel—along with allowance winners Eastern Atlantic, Club One Two, and Sabbatical—complete the field.