Boardroom Makes The Grade In Whimsical

WOODBINE, ON – With the action heating up at Woodbine Racetrack, LNJ Foxwoods’ 4-year-old filly Boardroom earned her first graded stakes title in the $150,000 Whimsical (G3) co-featured on Saturday’s card. 

With regular rider Luis Contreras up for Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll, Boardroom made her seasonal debut a winning one in the 6-furlong stakes event for fillies and mares 4 years old and up.

Golden Ami, the winner’s stablemate, held a narrow lead while flanked by 2019 Champion Female Sprinter Summer Sunday (inside) and the reigning divisional champ Artie’s Princess (outside) through fractions of :21.93 and :43.93 over the fast Tapeta surface.

Following close to the pace just behind the top trio, Contreras had positioned Boardroom to strike down the stretch and the talented filly out-finished the competitive bunch to score by a neck in a sizzling time of 1:08.35. 

“Reading the program and by the way the track has been playing, that was pretty much the thing to do. Everything worked perfect. Every single step of the race I was right there,” said Contreras. “She’s so amazing.” 

Boardroom paid $5.70 to win as the 9/5 second choice. Our Secret Agent closed widest from the back to finish second, 3/4 of a length ahead of Amalfi Coast, who rallied between rivals to take third prize. Golden Ami finished fourth, a neck back, followed by 6/5 favorite Artie’s Princess and Summer Sunday.

Chart and Sav were scratched.

“I think she’s a really special filly and the race set up beautifully for her, Luis sat patiently just off of them and the filly proved what she is,” said Carroll. “I wasn’t [surprised how close she was] with the way this track is playing. This track is very speedy today, so she was a little closer than maybe we had anticipated prior, but the way the day’s been unfolding, I wasn’t that surprised.” 

Boardroom put together a 3-1-1 record while earning more than $140,000 during her debut season last year as a 3-year-old despite a few eventful trips. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Commissioner had closed her 5-race 2020 campaign by winning the Duchess Stakes and finishing a head shy of Artie’s Princess in the Bessarabian (G2).