Summertime Magic, making her stakes debut, ruled the roost in the Ruling Angel, fronting a Mark Casse triactor in Saturday’s $100,000 feature at Woodbine.
After an impressive career bow by Summertime Magic on April 17 at the Toronto oval, a two-length win at five furlongs over the Tapeta, her Hall of Fame conditioner was hopeful his sophomore filly could make a statement in her first stakes test.
The daughter of Carpe Diem-Tap Softly did just that in the seven-furlong main track race for three-year-old fillies.
Sent off at 9-2, Summertime Magic, under Patrick Husbands, grabbed the early lead and proceeded to take her rivals through an opening quarter-mile timed in :23:07, one-length on top, as stablemate Join the Dance and Bill Mott trainee Outfoxed kept close tabs on the pacesetter.
Still ahead by a length through a half-mile in :46.17, Summertime Magic and Husbands turned for home looking like they had plenty left in the tank, maintaining their one-length advantage at the stretch call in 1:09.73, going on to secure a 1 ¼-length score.
Mrs. Barbara, last year’s Canada’s champion two-year-old filly, had to check down the lane, but came charging along the inside to finish second, a neck ahead of stablemate Join the Dance, giving Casse a sweep of the top three spots on the tote board.
The final time for seven panels was 1:22.26.
Husbands, aboard for the first time, was impressed by the grey filly’s grit throughout the race.
“She was going very easy down the back and she was rolling, but she was rolling with her ears pricked, showing me that she was just happy. I hadn’t really asked her yet and coming off the turn, she showed that they were going to have to run to beat her. She was rolling and she was rolling happy. She was just enjoying it.”
Owned by John Oxley, Summertime was bred in Kentucky by Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm.
She paid $11.90, $4.20 and $4.10, combining with Mrs. Barbara ($3.40, $2.80) for a $43.30 exactor. Join the Dance ($3.90) completed a $171.70 triactor, while Outfoxed rounded out a $1 superfecta that returned $194.30.
Courtesy of Woodbine
