Woodbine Picks | Royal North Stakes 2024

Baby No Worries will make her second straight appearance at Woodbine Racetrack when the 5-year-old takes on nine rivals in Saturday’s $135,000 HPIbet Royal North (G3T).

A daughter of Mr Speaker-Pajama Bottom, Baby No Worries finished third in the Whimsical Stakes (G3) last time out, rallying to dead-heat with Dolce Sopresa for the show award in the six-furlong main track race for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, on May 4.

“I was very happy with that effort,” said trainer Tim Girten. “I thought we had a good trip, and she came running hard. The winner (Mark Casse trainee Play the Music) is a nice horse.

Play the Music and Dolce Sopresa will both contest the Royal North.

“She [Baby No Worries] was sixth, only 3 ½ lengths back of the winner (Our Flash Drive, also a Casse trainee) in this race last year. That was only her second time on the turf – she is no route horse – and once she got her legs under her, she kicked in and had a nice run down the lane. She tried.”

It’s something Girten has seen throughout Baby No Worries’ career.

Purchased for $20,000 (U.S.) at the 2019 Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale, she debuted with a pair of thirds at Presque Isle in the fall of 2019.

She broke her maiden the following June, in her fifth start, also at Presque Isle, and made it two straight one month later at the Pennsylvania oval.

Bred in Kentucky by Cave Brook Farm, Baby No Worries is 4-4-5 and has $219,251 in purse earnings from 24 starts.

Her most recent victory was last October at Presque Isle in a six-furlong race over the synthetic as the 6-5 choice.

“Last summer, we hit a bad spell with some issues,” noted Girten. “We missed two local stakes at Presque Isle. We got her right. She didn’t have a win at Turfway this winter, but she was second in a stakes race [Wishing Well] and had a huge effort in another [Queen Stakes], where she was only beaten three lengths.”

Owned by Chan E. Brook Stables, the bay is typically bereft of early speed, but harnesses a powerful late kick down the lane.

“Unfortunately, with her running style, she doesn’t have that early lick to stay close enough, so we find ourselves circling the field, but giving up ground. But she gives you 110 per cent every time she goes over there.”

Girten, who has over 660 career wins, believes Baby No Worries, set to make her fifth start at Woodbine, will appreciate the long stretch of the E.P. Taylor turf.

“That’s exactly what she likes, a lot of distance to come running once you straighten for home. She appreciates that, for sure.”

As does Girten.

“I fell in love with the E.P. Taylor last year when she finished third in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes. I remember I walked across the boards that were put down on the turf course to get out to the track and it was beautiful.

“It is the nicest turf course I have ever walked across.”

Baby No Worries will have the services of Antonio Gallardo, who rode at Woodbine in 2021 and 2022 before returning to the U.S.

“She is such a nice horse, great to be around and is classy about everything,” praised Girten. “She trains very forwardly. When she is in her stall, she wants you to pet her and love on her, but when she’s tired of you, she lets you know.”

As for how she got her name, owner Ron Brown was inspired by another purchase.

“Ron has a houseboat on a lake in Kentucky,” said Girten. “The name of the boat is No Worries. So, he named the first horse he ever bought out of a sale, Baby No Worries.”

The field for the Royal North Stakes at Woodbine in post position order, with jockey & trainer:

1. Peacock Lass – Alex Achard – Rodolphe Brisset
2. Baby No Worries – Antonio Gallardo – Tim Girten
3. Dolce Sopresa – Rafael Hernandez – Josie Carroll
4. Blind Spot – Juan Crawford – Saffie Joseph, Jr.
5. Play the Music – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
6. Awesome Treat – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Steve Attard
7. Secret Money – Kazushi Kimura – Brendan Walsh
8. Star Candy – Sofia Vives – Mark Casse
9. Miss Speedy – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
10. Howboutdemapples – Ryan Munger – Saffie Joseph, Jr.