Ageless May Have Ideal Set-Up in Royal North
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With half the field likely to be gunning for the lead, the set-up seems ideal for the successful closer Ageless in the $150,000 Royal North Stakes (Can-IIIT) on the Woodbine turf July 27.
Lael Stable's 5-year-old Successful Appeal mare has been on quite a roll lately, winning four of her past five starts since moving to grass. The streak includes back-to-back turf stakes in the listed Giant's Causeway at Keeneland in April and The Very One last time out May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.
Though Ageless hasn't been out in more than two months, she seems to like a little extra time between starts so that shouldn't be a problem for trainer Arnaud Delacour as the bay approaches her Woodbine debut. Luis Garcia will be aboard the lifetime winner of seven of 13 races with earnings of $264,940.
The six-furlong Royal North has attracted a field of 10 fillies and mares and goes as race 7 on Sunday's Woodbine card with a 4:05 p.m. EDT scheduled post.
Ageless, who breaks from post 9, carries 121 pounds, one less than the top-weighted Silent Treat. A two-time restricted stakes winner at the meet for trainer Scot Fairlie, Silent Treat figures to be part of the hot pace scenario from post 5. The 4-year-old Ontario-bred filly by Silent Name went gate-to-wire in both the May 3 Ballade and June 29 Zadracarta stakes.
Luis Garcia has the mount on the Maryland-based Ageless, while Michelle Rainford is back aboard Silent Treat in the Royal North.
Others who figure to be pushing the tempo will be Unhedged, one of two in the field for trainer Mark Casse, 3-year-old Richies Party Girl, a stakes winner last out on the Belmont Park turf, Goldstryke Glory, a multiple stakes winner locally, and allowance winner Blessed One.
Murray Stroud's Youcan'tcatchme, making her turf debut for trainer Sam Di Pasquale, should be sitting just off the pace. The winner of the Seaway (Can-III) and Ontario Fashion (Can-III) last year on Polytrack could prove dangerous with Eurico Rosa Da Silva aboard.
[raceEntries date="7/27/2014" country="CAN" trackid="WO" racenumber="7"]