Woodbine Picks | Woodbine Oaks 2024

Trainer Kevin Attard will have five chances to win his third $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois, one of four stakes on Saturday’s 11-race card at Woodbine Racetrack.  

Inaugurated in 1956, the filly classic, which has attracted 14 Canadian-foaled 3-year-old fillies carrying 121 pounds over one mile and one-eighth on the all-weather track, will go postward at 5:33 p.m. ET. The winning connections will receive $300,000.   

Saturday’s card also features the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes, a key race ahead of The King’s Plate (August 17), the $175,000 bet365 Connaught Cup (G2T), and $135,000 Trillium Stakes Presented by Don Julio (G3).   

The Woodbine Oaks is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, which continues at the Toronto oval with the 1 1/16-mile, $250,000 Bison City Stakes on August 10 and concludes with the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at 1 ¼ miles over the E.P. Taylor turf on September 8.

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After winning the 2021 Oaks with eventual Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Munnyfor Ro, and the following year’s edition with King’s Plate winner and Canada’s 2022 horse of the year, Moira, Attard will send out the quintet of Caitlinhergrtness, Inudation, My Girl Della, Vucchella, and War Painter in this year’s running.

“It’s a race you hope to win once and we have been fortunate to have done it twice,” said Attard. “When you look back at the great fillies and horse people who have won the Oaks, it makes the achievement even more special.”

Caitlinhergrtness, a daughter of Omaha Beach-Belatrix, brings a record of 2-0-1 from five starts into her biggest test to date.

Owned by Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC, the chestnut filly last raced two weeks ago, a 2 ¾-length score at 7 ½ panels over the inner turf. ​

In her rookie campaign, she won a one-mile dirt race at Aqueduct and finished fourth in the Tempted Stakes in November.

“She is extremely versatile in her ability to run well on different surfaces and distances,” praised Attard. “She ran a great one last time out and even though it’s a short time between races, she has given us every indication she can step up once again.”

Bred by Jesse Korona, Caitlinhergrtness was a $375,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

Owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, Inudation broke her maiden in last year’s Princess Elizabeth Stakes. The daughter of Collected-Tidal Surge, sent off at 12-1, rallied to win the 1 1/16-mile main track event by a head.

The bay filly, bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., was seventh in her 3-year-old debut, a 1 1/16-mile engagement contested over the Woodbine main track on June 22.

“We were hoping to build off her great rookie season and it hasn’t gone as we anticipated,” offered Attard.

“That said, we did lose some time with her. She has the ability and the skills to come up with a big one on Saturday.”

Inudation, who fashions a mark of 1-2-0 from five starts, was a $67,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

My Girl Della, another filly bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., is 1-1-1 from five starts.

The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro-Katie Baby broke her maiden in the first start of her sophomore season, on June 1.

Owned by John Fielding, the bay filly arrives at the Oaks off a fourth at 1 1/16 miles on the Toronto oval main track.

“We like her a lot too,” said Attard. “I thought her maiden win was very professional. Her latest race was okay, and we think she can definitely improve off that one. There is a lot to like about her and we are expecting a strong showing on Saturday.”

My Girl Della was purchased for $170,000 at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

Vucchella has yet to reach the winner’s circle in six starts but has a pair of seconds and two thirds to her name.

Owned by X-Men Racing III LLC, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC, the dark bay debuted last August at Woodbine and finished fourth.

Also bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., the daughter of Bernardini-Heartofthematter has reeled off three-straight top-three finishes.

“She’s a maiden, but her last race – her first 3-year-old start – was encouraging,” said Attard. “She has reached the podium in four of her six starts, so she has been very consistent.

“It would not be a surprise at all to see her come up big in the Oaks. She looks like she could have a bright future.”

Vucchella was a $230,00 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

Racing for Canuck Racing Club, War Painter has assembled a 2-3-1 record from seven starts.

The consistent daughter of Danish Dynaformer-Morning Tale contested five races, three of them stakes, in her 2-year-old season.

Her biggest win came in the 2023 Victoria Queen Stakes last September.

War Painter missed by a nose in her 3-year-old debut, but came back to win her next start, a 1 1/16-mile trek on the Woodbine main track on June 6.

“We like her a lot. We always have. She has been a bit frustrating, but she had a very nice work with (2022 Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate winner) Moira, which obviously was extremely encouraging.

“She definitely has the talent, and the distance is absolutely in her wheelhouse.”

War Painter was a $30,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling Sale.

A Little Frisky, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, has compiled a 1-1-1 record from four starts. The daughter of Army Mule-Tulsa, bred by Josham Farms Limited, is owned by Mark Dodson.

Trained by Tom Amoss, Ba Dee Yah brings a 2-0-2 mark from seven races into the Oaks. The daughter of Uncle Mo-Pearl Turn will make her first start outside of the U.S. Owned by Gold Standard Racing Stable, LLC, she was bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.

Bravo Kate, bred by Jim Dandy Stable, has made six starts and produced a line of 1-1-1 from those efforts. Owned by Spruce Park Stable, the daughter of Congrats-Katie O. is trained by Sid Attard, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013.

“She is a very nice filly who always tries hard,” said Attard, who won the 2002 Oaks with Jim Dandy Stable’s Ginger Gold. “She is coming into the race in good order.”

Holiday in Jail, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Bob Tiller, has one win, a second and a third from four starts. The daughter of Catholic Boy-In Jail will make her first stakes appearance on Saturday. Owned by 3 Sons Racing Stable Ltd., the bay filly was bred by Paul Braverman. ​

Bred by Bru-Mel Stables Co., Hurricane Clair has posted two wins, two seconds and a third from seven starts. Trained by Martin Drexler for David Rowbotham, Rodney Carpenter and Tony Boogmans, the daughter of Silent Name (JPN)-Hurricane Lorraine broke her maiden in last year’s Muskoka Stakes.

“We liked her from the start,” said Drexler, who won a career-best 104 races in 2023 and was a finalist for the champion trainer Sovereign Award. “She is a nice, honest, straightforward 3-year-old filly, who is doing everything right. She belongs here.”

Hurricane Clair heads into the Oaks in winning form.

On June 23, the bay drew off for a 3 ¼-length victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine inner turf.

Drexler, who is closing in on 750 career wins, expects another big effort on Saturday.

“Sahin [jockey, Civaci] is sticking with her, which is reassuring, and I think the distance and all-weather track won’t be issues at all. She ran a very strong race on it in the Princess Elizabeth last year – she finished fourth but was disqualified – and she is a much better horse right now.

“My biggest thing with her is that she is very professional. You can lead her over on the big day and she will be calm. She can handle everything that comes on race day. Some of the young fillies can lose the race in the paddock and on the way over. She holds it all together and runs her race every time.”

Kin’s Concerto, a homebred for Chiefswood Stables, is 1-2-1 from four starts. Trained by Josie Carroll, the daughter of Mendelssohn-Kincardine won at first asking last November at Woodbine. The chestnut filly was second in her latest start.

“I’m excited to ride Kin’s Concerto,” said jockey Sofia Vives, the 2023 Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s champion apprentice. “Her athletic ability has always shined. I am grateful to the connections for this amazing opportunity. Hopefully, we can work out a trip because the distance shouldn’t be an issue.”

A daughter of Lookin At Lucky-Regal Conqueror, Lookin to Conquer, trained by Martin Hinckson, is 1-0-1 from three appearances. Bred by JWS Farms and owned by Bruno Schickedanz, the bay broke her maiden in her second start, and 3-year-old debut, on May 31.

Lunch With Bernie, bred and owned by Manfred and Penny Conrad, was third in her first stakes affair, the Fury, on June 8. The daughter of Bernardini-Lunch Hour won her first race in the final start of her 2-year-old campaign. Trained by dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, the dark bay is 1-1-2 from eight starts.

Trained by Harold Ladouceur, Shamans Girl won her debut, the Shady Well Stakes, last December at Woodbine. Bred and owned by Stronach Stables, the daughter of Shaman Ghost-Ginger Brew is 1-0-0 from four starts, three of them coming at the Toronto oval and the other at Laurel Park this February.

Beautiful Sky (on the also eligible list) is trained by Mike De Paulo for owners Colebrook Farms and Zilli Racing Stables. The daughter of Sky Mesa-Another Flashback has one second and a third in four lifetime starts. The dark bay was bred by Karen E. Carroll.