Seek and Destroy Trounces Rivals in Ontario Colleen
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Photo: Michael Burns
Seek and Destroy picks up her second grade 3 score in the Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine
Woodbine invader Seek and Destroy was able to seize another graded stakes victory when she took the CA$130,000 (US$99,775) Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T) July 20 at the Toronto oval.
The Ontario Colleen, a one-mile added-money event for 3-year-old fillies, was the first stakes to be contested over Woodbine's new inner turf course since it opened June 28.
"It's been very good, to tell you the truth," jockey Luis Contreras said of the new course. "The only thing, I haven't been that lucky to win a race, but finally I broke the ice."
Picking up the mount on the popular Chad Brown-trained filly for her Woodbine debut, Contreras had Seek and Destroy between foes stalking the frontrunners, 2-1 second choice Sister Peacock and longshot I'll Take the Gold. The top two battled head-to-head through a quarter in :23.27 and a half in :46.57 before Sister Peacock, pursuing her third consecutive local stakes win, shook off the early challenger past three-quarters in 1:10.28.
Seek and Destroy launched her attack coming off the turn and proved to be much the best with a strong closing kick, winning by three lengths in 1:35.65. Speedy Soul, fresh off her June 30 Bison City Stakes victory in the Canadian Triple Tiara series, came on for second-place honors, and Sister Peacock finished third.
"I know (Sister Peacock) was the one that was going to be on the lead for sure, and when I saw (I'll Take the Gold) with (jockey) Skye (Chernetz) going after him, I just decided to stay right there, just right behind the speed," said Contreras. "I had so much horse all the way, and she destroyed the field at the end."
Bred in Kentucky by William B. Harrigan, the daughter of Verrazano is out of the War Chant mare Search and Seizure and is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Tammy the Torpedo, who was also trained by Brown. Seek and Destroy was a $425,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by agent Mike Ryan for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds from the consignment of Lane's End. She is 4-for-7, including a win in the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) May 18 at Belmont Park.