Latest news with #EPTaylorStakes
National Post
a day ago
- Sport
- National Post
Jockey John Velazquez guides She Feels Pretty to $750K prize at E.P. Taylor
She Feels Pretty was last at Woodbine two years ago, winning the Natalma Stakes. Since then, she has become one of the top turf mares in North America. She returned to Toronto on Saturday and bagged another big prize, the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes. Article content But it was not easy for the four-year-old filly. Ridden by John Velazquez, She Feels Pretty sat a third for the early part of the 1 ¼ mile race, but she was slightly hit by another horse, causing her a brief discomfort. She moved up nicely around the turn and took command in the stretch. Nearly catching her, however, was English invader Diamond Rain, who, despite being slow out of the gate, charged very quickly in the stretch and lost by just a head at the wire. Article content Article content Article content Trainer Cherie DeVaux decided to bring She Feels Pretty to Woodbine to try and get a guaranteed spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf rather than wait for the Flower Bowl at Saratoga on Aug. 30. Article content 'It was a natural progression from the Diana (at Saratoga, where she finished a close second),' she said. 'The last couple of weeks, she's been training so well. It made sense to come here now rather than wait a couple of weeks for the Flower Bowl.' Article content She Feels Pretty was sent off at 2-5 and is now eight-for-12 lifetime. Article content CARRYING MOMENTUM: Kevin Attard's trips to the winner's circle didn't end after the King's Plate as he swept the final two stakes on Woodbine's lucrative Saturday card. Article content The veteran trainer sent out Gas Me Up to win the $200,000 King Edward Stakes. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Gas Me Up sat well back early in the one-mile turf race as a speed duel ensued. He had 15 lengths to make up in the final half mile but was able to eat that up quickly, grabbing command in mid-stretch and holding off a closing Wyoming Bill to win by a length. It was the fourth win in eight starts for the five-year-old gelding. Article content Article content Then in the $150,000 Soaring Free Stakes for two-year-olds, Two Out Hero scored as the 6-5 favourite. Ridden by Rafael Hernandez, Two Out Hero sat right behind pacesetter Casson early in the 6 ½-furlong race. He stayed right at the rail and in the stretch, he found a seam and took command en route to a 1 ½-length win. Article content Attard indicated Two Out Hero would likely start in the Summer Stakes on Sept. 13, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf qualifier. Hernandez also rode Simcoe to a dominant win in the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes. Simcoe grabbed command early in the 6 ½-furlong race and held a comfortable margin the rest of the way, winning in the end by five lengths. A five-year-old gelding, Simcoe is now six-for-18 and has won four of his past five for trainer Katerina Vassilieva. Article content In the $150,000 Catch A Glimpse Stakes for the fillies, Corsia Veloce had a good tracking spot early and grinded her way to an 11-1 score with Fraser Aebly aboard. The daughter of Practical Joke is now two-for-two for trainer Josie Carroll. The race is the main prep for the Natalma Stakes on Sept. 13.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Weekend Lineup: King's Plate Day, Featuring The E.P. Taylor Stakes
Weekend Lineup: King's Plate Day, Featuring The E.P. Taylor Stakes originally appeared on Paulick Report. The Canadian Triple Crown kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 16, when 13 Canadian-breds go 10 furlongs on the synthetic Tapeta track in the King's Plate at Woodbine. The morning-line favorite is Mark Casse-trained Woodbine Oaks winner No Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes makes a special appearance on the King's Plate day undercard, having been moved up from its September date due to planned upgrades to the E.P. Taylor turf course at the Toronto-area track. For the first time, the E.P. Taylor is a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Other races on the King's Plate undercard are the G2 King Edward Stakes for turf milers, G3 Bold Venture Stakes for sprinters on the synthetic, the Catch A Glimpse Stakes for juvenile fillies on the grass, and its brother-race, the Soaring Free Stakes for juvenile colts on the G1 action in the United States as well, with the 10-furlong G1 Alabama Stakes for the nation's top dirt sophomore fillies at Saratoga, and the G1 Del Mar Oaks for turf 3-year-old fillies at the seaside oval. 4:14 pm - G1 E.P. Taylor S at WoodbineLael Stables' She Feels Pretty returns to the site of her first G1 win for the 1 ¼-mile E.P. Taylor. The distance should benefit the American invader, who was second last out in the 1 ⅛-mile G1 Diana. She Feels Pretty won the G1 New York at 1 3/16-miles on the Belmont Stakes year's King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness attempts to be the first horse ever to win both the Plate and the E.P. Taylor. She finished third to She Feels Pretty in the 1 ⅛-mile QEII at Keeneland last fall. Charlie Appleby ships 4-for-6 filly Diamond Rain, a G3 winner at Newcastle in her most recent outing.E.P. Taylor Entries 5:34 pm - King's Plate at WoodbineGary Barber's No Time will try to become the seventh filly to win the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown since 2007. The second choice on the morning line is the Mark Dodson homebred Notorious Gangster, who was second in the Plate Trial last out to fourth-choice Sedburys Plate entries 5:44 pm - G1 Alabama S at SaratogaG1-winning fillies Good Cheer and La Cara will meet for the third time in the G1 Alabama. Right now, the score is even between the two, with Brad Cox-trained Good Cheer beating Mark Casse-trained La Cara in the Kentucky Oaks, and La Cara running away from her in the G1 the Alabama isn't a two-horse party. Casse-trained Nitrogen, 17-length winner of the off-turf G3 Wonder Again, and Cox-trained Black Eyed Susan winner Margie's Intention make it two for both trainers. There is also the Norwegian invader, Queen Azteca, winner of the G3 UAE Oaks in March, and Kinzie Queen completes the entries This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
