TORONTO, ON – LNJ Foxwoods’ Boardroom sealed the deal as the bettors’ choice in Saturday’s $100,000 Duchess Stakes at Woodbine.
Boardroom broke from the far outside post 10 as the 2/1 favorite under jockey Luis Contreras and lingered near the rear while remaining out wide and in the clear.
Owlette posted quick opening fractions of :22.48 and :44.85 while Two Sixty closely stalked, but that advantage disappeared as Boardroom steadily circled the field in the far turn.
Straightening for home with the pacesetter in her sights, the Josie Carroll trainee took command at the 1/8 pole, then strode home powerfully to win the 7-furlong fast synthetic sprint by 3/4 of a length in 1:21.51.
“I knew there was speed in the race, but I didn’t want to be too far back,” Contreras said. “I didn’t want to give her too much to do at the end. I got a nice, wide trip in the backstretch and I had to use her a little bit to get good position on the turn, but she’s so talented.”
Our Secret Agent gained ground in the stretch to take second over Fly So Pretty, while behind them, Avie’s Samurai won a three-way photo for fourth by a necek and a head over Owlette and Windracer, respectively.
Raison d’Etre, Diamond Sparkles, and Two Sixty completed the order of finish.
Runway Dreamer was scratched from the race restricted to 3-year-old fillies.
Boardroom’s win was her first at the stakes level and avenged her only career defeat in 4 starts last time out in the local Ruling Angel Stakes, where she finished third after a rein broke while exiting the gate. Purchased for $475,000 as an unraced juvenile, the Commissioner filly has now earned $114,484.
“She’s a wonderful filly,” Carroll said. “This filly showed a lot of promise as soon as she came to me and she’s lived up to every bit of it. This filly could be any kind. I think she’s just going to get better.”
Boardroom returned $6 to win, $3.90 to place, and $3.10 to show. Our Secret Agent brought back $4.50 to place and $3.60 to show, while Fly So Pretty paid $12.40 to show.
