Katie Baby, Summer Sunday to Meet in Hendrie Stakes

Anderson Farms Ontario's homebred Katie Baby, a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin , takes on seven rivals in the $125,000 Hendrie Stakes (G3) June 9 at Woodbine.

Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Katie Baby arrives at the 6 1/2-furlong main track Hendrie, for older fillies and mares, off a sharp allowance score at seven panels May 7 over the local Tapeta as the 2-5 favorite. It was the second win from four starts for Katie Baby, who has also posted a second and third for her connections.

"She was coming off a layoff and had been training very well in Florida," said Day Phillips, who had a career-best 29 wins and $1.7 million in purse earnings in 2018. "We were really looking forward to her running up here. We expected her to run well and she ran to our expectations."

She'll look to deliver her first added-money title. Last year, she finished third, beaten just a neck, in the Bison City Stakes, second jewel in the Canadian Triple Tiara Series. Sunday will mark her graded stakes debut.

"We threw a lot at her fairly quickly as a 3-year-old, trying to take advantage of some of the restricted races," offered Day Phillips. "It was heartbreaking she lost because she ran so well.

"She's a strong-willed filly and she enjoys running. That's a good thing. She's a racehorse and she's very determined. I know she will certainly try. She enjoys competing. Those are nice combinations."

The decorated conditioner is hoping for another strong effort from her consistent filly in the 69th edition of the Hendrie.

"She's had two nice breezes," she said. "She's in good order and fingers crossed, she'll run well again. She's had a bit of break and some time off, so hopefully she'll run well on Sunday."

The morning-line favorite in the Hendrie is multiple stakes winner Summer Sunday making her graded stakes debut.

Last year, Code Warrior took her second straight running of the Hendrie, paying $14.20. The Hendrie is Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race card.