Eugene Melnyk’s homebred Barracks Road, confidently handled by jockey Corey Fraser, made every pole a winning one while taking the featured $193,900 Ontario Colleen Stakes Saturday at Woodbine.
The one-mile grass event for three-year-old fillies drew a field of 11, including two trained by Mark Casse, the aforementioned Barracks Road, at 9-1 and her more highly-regarded stablemate, Exclusive Love, at 5-1, who had finished second to Perfect Shirl in the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga last month.
But it was the Barracks Road show all the way, as the daughter of Elusive Quality took the field through leisurely splits of :23.45 and :46.23, while maintaining a solid one length lead over a stalking 53-1 shot, Dixie Chicken.
As the field turned for home over the lengthy and firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course, Barracks Road first fended off a stout challenge from Dixie Chicken, then never wavered the rest of the way while racing closest to the rail, eventually posting a length and three-quarters decision in 1:34.95.
Longshot Jenny’s So Great, at 26-1, came flying late for second, while Dixie Chicken and No Explaining, the 3-2 favourite, wound up in a dead-heat for third, a length further back.
“I wasn’t really surprised (to be in front easily),” said Fraser. “She’s an excellent filly. If you can get her the lead nice, she’ll run on. This time she was looking around. As she got closer to the wire, Mark (Casse) even said she looked like she was going to prop. Her ears were going and she does tend to look around, but she did what had to be done today.”
It’s been quite a turnaround year for Barracks Road. Winless in four starts last year, the bay filly has now taken three of five outings this season, including another turf stake score, the Ontario Damsel on July 10, also at one mile over the same course.
Ontario-bred Barracks Road, who earned $120,000 for the win while pushing her career bankroll to almost $280,000, paid $20.50, $11.30 and $5.60, combining with Jenny’s So Great ($30, $11.20) for a $374.90 (1-9) exactor. Dixie Chicken ($7.20 to show) and No Explaining ($2.10 to show) triggered two triactor payouts: a 1-9-2 (Dixie Chicken) returned $5,215.20 while a 1-9-6 (No Explaining) was worth $1,645.80. Two $1 superfectas 1-9-2-ALL and 1-9-6-ALL returned $3,930.35 and $523.70, respectivel.
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