October 9, 2023
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
FYI: This Filly is Good
Two starts into her career and Just F Y I is already a Grade 1 stakes winner.
Bad weather and poor track conditions at Belmont at the Big A were no match for this filly, who powered through to take home the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) on Saturday afternoon. The gutsy performance landed bettors $11.60 for a $2 win wager, while Just F Y I and her connections were rewarded with a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 3.
The sample size may be small, but Just F Y I looks primed and ready to excel in her toughest test to date.
Alpha Dog
Timberlake’s connections will have to break out their best Suit and Tie to celebrate his upset victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1).
Their new Alpha Dog had no Trouble with the Curve (that’s the last JT pun, I promise), hawking down General Partner (9-2) in the stretch to capture his first graded-stakes victory. The surprise win paid $11.80.
Saturday’s performance was a major bounce-back effort for the 2-year-old, who fell short in September’s Hopeful Stakes (G1) despite running as the 2-1 favorite. He ended up finishing second behind 54-1 long shot Nutella Fella.
Timberlake will now turn his sights to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita next month.
Hi-Five
There was a collective sigh of relief between the remaining eight MLB teams knowing driver John MacDonald’s five-win performance on Saturday didn’t put an end to their World Series hopes in the divisional round.
MacDonald continued his routine display of dominance at Vernon Downs in New York by scoring victories in nearly half of the day’s 11-race card. The brilliant display started in race 2 with heavy favorite Nanuet (1-5), resumed after a brief hiatus with a three-peat in races 5, 6 (won with Dowahs Boy at 8-1), and 7, and was capped off in race 9 with Discus Hanover (3-5).
A $2 win bet on MacDonald in each of these races ($10 total) would have resulted in a payout of $36.60.
Flip the Script
The top three finishers in Sunday’s $750,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine were all expected to be there… just not in that order.
At 3-2, 2022 King’s Plate winner Moira was the betting favorite to earn what would have been her first career Grade 1 win. However, two Irish-bred runners had other ideas.
With the Moonlight (IRE), who finished as the runner-up at 5-2, and Fev Rover (IRE), the race’s victor at 4-1, both navigated through tight windows to steer clear of Moira down the stretch.
A $2 win bet on Fev Rover returned $10.10. For those who decided to Irish things up with a $2 1-4 exacta, it paid $37.20.
Clean Sweep
The co-main event on Woodbine’s Sunday card, the $750,000 Canadian International (G1T), also belonged to Irish-bred competitors.
Nations Pride (IRE), Royal Champion (IRE), and Adhamo (IRE) claimed the top three spots on the podium, in that order, continuing the Emerald Isle’s dominance at Woodbine on Oct. 8.
Going into the affair, the trio were listed at 2-5, 5-1, and 5-1 odds, respectively, so the result wasn’t necessarily surprising, but it serves as an important reminder for bettors to consider the level of competition international horses routinely face on their home circuit.
For example, Royal Champion’s 4-0-3 line in 12 career starts doesn’t exactly scream “bet me!” but a deeper look into those dozen races can help provide more context into the horse’s abilities.
