TORONTO, October 13…Surtsey, given a heady ride by Jermaine Bridgmohan, collared pacesetter Rootham Triple E’s at the sixteenth pole, then edged away to win the $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine.
At the finish of the Polytrack six furlong stake for Ontario-bred two-year-old fillies, timed in 1:10.52, Surtsey, owned and bred by Yvonne Schwabe and trained by Kevin Attard, had prevailed by a tough length over a game Rootham Triple E’s, with Sarah Her Highness two and one-quarter lengths further back in third. Mild 8-5 favourite Sure Would finished sixth.
It was the second win for the chestnut daughter of Heatseeker-Kick’em Jenny in six outings, after she’d been campaigning in $32,000 – $40,000 claimers her last three starts.
Rootham Triple E’s made all the pace under jockey Richard Dos Ramos, taking the field through an opening quarter in 23.49 and a half in 46.66.
When the field turned for home, the pacesetter still held sway, but was challenged and passed by the winner late in the lane. It was the first Woodbine stakes win of the season for Bridgmohan, Attard and Schwabe, while Surtsey, who was supplemented to the race for $3,000, picked up $90,000 for the victory.
“Kevin and I talked about it (the race) this morning and it worked out like it looked on paper,” said Bridgmohan. “She ran extremely well. That was our game plan from the beginning. We wanted to get her off the pace a little bit and thankfully I was able to do that and she came running.”
Added Attard, “The race was shaping up like it was a good opportunity to get some black type. Fortunately, we got it all. She’s run really well. In the Shady Well (Stakes, July 15 when finishing seventh), she had a tough trip, a lot of excuses. Her last race, it wasn’t a perfect trip either. She was kind of bogged down on the inside. We sent her home for a little break, brought her back in and this race just came up.”
As the 6-1 fourth choice, Surtsey returned $14.40, $6.40 and $5.60, combining with Rootham Triple E’s ($6.70, $5.30) for a $81.40 (6-5) exactor. A 6-5-2 (Sarah Her Highness, $4.40) triactor was worth $611.50, while a $1 superfecta [6-5-2-4 (Evangeline’s Hope)] came back $1,149.05.
-0-
‘Serenity’ now! A 36-1 Ruling Angel upset
TORONTO, October 13 – Trinity Racing Stables’ Silent Serenity, the longest shot on the toteboard, broke sharply and then held off a late charge from Swift Artist to claim victory in Saturday’s $102,200 Ruling Angel Stakes.
The 6 1/2-furlong event for three-year-old fillies was the first career stakes score for the Kentucky-bred daughter of Silent Name and Renico Lafond trainee, who was ninth in the Duchess Stakes in July, her first stakes appearance.
Silent Serenity, now a four-time winner from eight starts, took her rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :22.58 and a half in :45.20, opening a 2 ½-length lead at the stretch call.
The dark bay, who stopped the teletimer in 1:16.36, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Swift Artist. Evil Kitten was third.
Multiple stakes winner Tu Endie Wei, the even-money favourite was seventh in the eight-horse field.
Under Jesse Campbell, Silent Serenity paid $75.20, $23.20 and $10.70, combining with Swift Artist ($6.10, $3.70) for a $443.60 exactor. Evil Kitten ($4.40) completed a $2,287.10 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $8,226.05.