Stubborn Stifling Steals $100,000 My Dear

TORONTO, ON – Commonwealth New Era Racing’s Stifling refused to lose on Saturday, and thanks to the disqualification of My Gal Betty, she was awarded the win in the $100,000 My Dear Stakes at Woodbine.

Breaking outward from her far outside post 8 under Pablo Morales, Stifling applied pressure outside of early leader Sav through opening splits of :23.10 and :46.65. Commencing a bid into the far turn while joined to her outside by the 2-1 favorite Entirely, Stifling straightened for home with a slight advantage over her new rival and battled fiercely before inching away in the final furlong. Running four- and five-wide along the outside were My Gal Betty and Tiz Breathtaking, with the former interfering with the latter by pushing her out even wider in mid-stretch. In the shadow of the wire, My Gal Betty was able to put a head past Stifling to cross in first, with Tiz Breathtaking only another head behind in third, though due to her stretch run interference, the stewards disqualified My Gal Betty to third.

“I really feel like she deserved to win, she ran so hard,” Morales said. “She broke so good. She got pressured early, and even then, she fought them off and kept running to the wire.”

Faltering in the final furlong, Entirely had to settle for fourth, outlasting Sav by only a nose. Questionoftheday and Subsidiary both failed to fire and completed the order of finish. Golden Garter was scratched.

Stifling’s win was the first of her career; she had finished second in her debut here on June 16 for trainer John Bourke. The 2-year-old daughter of Flatter increased her career bankroll to $55,149, already a positive investment for an ownership group that purchased her for $27,000 as a yearling.

“We got here at 11 o’clock morning; I prefer to ship the day of when it’s close proximity to (her base at) Presque Isle Downs,” said Bourke. “They seem to run a little better. If you come early, they may get frantic and go off their feed. This filly, home is wherever you put her.”

Stifling returned $40.10 to win, $12.30 to place, and $4.20 to show. Tiz Breathtaking brought back $4.60 to place and $2.90 to show, while My Gal Betty paid $2.40 to show.