Race Recaps Curlin’s Voyage wins Ontario Lassie Stakes December 8, 2019 Credit: Michael Burns Photo Race Recaps Curlin’s Voyage wins Ontario Lassie Stakes December 8, 2019 By: Curtis "Magic" Kalleward twitteremail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article TORONTO, ON – Two-year-old filly Curlin’s Voyage gifted Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll with a stakes victory for her birthday on Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack, prevailing in a photo finish over Merveilleux in the $125,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes. ( Content Continues Below Ad ) Jockey Patrick Husbands picked up the mount aboard the filly with 2020 Woodbine Oaks hopes for breeder Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc. and partner Windsor Boys Racing. Away second-to-last in a field of six Ontario-bred two-year-old fillies competing over 1-1/16 miles, Husbands moved Curlin’s Voyage into striking range down the backstretch and rallied wide on the final turn with Merveilleux closing between horses. Those two took off in a battle to the wire, with Curlin’s Voyage ultimately prevailing in a head decision and stopping the clock in 1:43.85. Photo Finish “I knew the horse on the inside – she’s a good filly – but I just wanted to keep a head on her swinging for home,” said Husbands of the stretch duel. November Fog, who led through fractions of :24.62, :48.95 and 1:13.16, followed 2-1/4 lengths behind in third. Avie’s Samurai, Cool Shadows and The Pink Pegasus completed the order of finish. Despite trouble in the gate last time out October 26, Curlin’s Voyage finished fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes won by Cool Shadows. “Going into the last race from viewing the tape, I see she was given a little bit of trouble in the gates but today she was calm and a different horse,” said Husbands. Carroll noted the incident in the starting gate last time hindered her chances in that race tremendously. “She came back to the barn with a loose tooth and a cut face,” explained Carroll. “It took a very long time for her to get over that. I have to give my crew great credit. Billy, who gets on her, and her groom, they really did a lot of work settling this filly back down – it really rattled her.” The Curlin-Atlantic Voyage filly, who inherited the win in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes this fall, put together a 2-1-1 record from five starts prior to the Ontario Lassie in rein to Eurico Rosa Da Silva. “Patrick’s a great rider and we’re heading towards the Oaks hopefully with the filly and it seemed like a smart move,” said Carroll of the jockey change due to Husbands’ availability next season with Da Silva retiring at the conclusion of the meet next weekend. Husbands announced after the race that today could be his final race day this season as he will be meeting with doctors on Monday to plan for surgery, which could be scheduled as early as this coming week, to examine enduring issues from his pelvis injury late last year. “All the owners and trainers were good to me at Woodbine this year, but in the last seven weeks I started getting a lot of pain and, in this game, you’ve got to look out for yourself,” said Husbands. The eight-time Sovereign Award-winning jockey sits top five in the Woodbine jockey standings with 80 wins including a meet-leading 20 stakes victories. In other action, meet-leading trainer Norm McKnight posted 1-2 finishes in three races and ended the 13-dash card with a total of five wins.
College Football Week 11 and NFL Week 10 Picks | Dudes Who Bet Sports 214 Aaron & Papa Dude give their College Football picks for… Read More
Official Breeders’ Cup 2024 Picks | Blinkers Off 692 The Racing Dudes preview and give picks for the 41st… Read More
Jon White Breeders’ Cup 2024 Interview and Picks | Blinkers Off 691 The Racing Dudes interview Jon White, former Santa Anita, Del… Read More
Breeders’ Cup Classic and Football Picks | Dudes Who Bet Sports 213 Aaron & Papa Dude give their College Football picks for… Read More
Breeders’ Cup 2024 Pre-Entries Analysis | Blinkers Off 690 The Racing Dudes dive into the 2024 Breeders’ Cup pre-entries… Read More
Breeders’ Cup 2024 Top 5 Performances Aaron gives his Top 5 Breeders’ Cup performances from the… Read More
Who is the 2024 3-Year-Old Male of the Year? Aaron gives his thoughts on who should be the 2024… Read More
College Football Week 11 and NFL Week 10 Picks | Dudes Who Bet Sports 214 Aaron & Papa Dude give their College Football picks for… Read More