TORONTO  — By Matthew Lomon

 

Chop Week

The fourth weekend in April will now be referred to as ‘Chop Week’ until further notice.

The festivities began Thursday with Penn State linebacker Chop Robinson, who was selected 21^st overall by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Then, on Friday afternoon, a 4-year-old mare by the name of Chop Chop (3-1) kept the party going with a 2 ¼-length score in the $300,000 Bewitch (G3) at Keeneland.

Friday’s remarkable effort gave the equine-half of Chop Week her first career graded crown in what was her fourth ever attempt at the level.

The Brad Cox trainee’s breakthrough score paid a respectable $8.92.

 

That was Fast

One day into Woodbine’s new racing season and we already have a longshot stakes winner. The honor belongs to Sabatini (13-1), who under the guidance of jockey Sofia Vives, stole the $125,000 Star Shoot by a healthy 2 ¼-length margin.

Making just the second start of her young career, the 3-year-old filly wowed the Saturday afternoon crowd with a vigorous push down the stretch to secure her first ever win. The Josie Carroll charge previously finished third in her professional debut at Turfway Park on Mar. 23.

After crossing two major milestones off her list in one fell swoop, Sabatini rewarded those who supported her with a handsome $28.70 payout.

 

Who’s House?

A sweet performance from 7-5 choice Valentine Candy in Saturday’s $200,000 Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park earned the Ricardo Santana Jr. mount his fifth win in nine tries (5-1-1).

The 3-year-old colt bounced back strong after a disappointing fourth last time out in the Animal Kingdom at Turfway to capture his fourth stakes victory in five tries since Dec. 8. All four stakes titles have come at Oaklawn, which quickly emerged as the Kentucky-bred’s home away from home.

Although the graded ranks haven’t been nearly as kind to Valentine Candy (ninth in last September’s Grade 1 Hopeful), the Steve Asmussen protégé appears ready for another shot at the big time.

The Bachelor score paid a modest $4.80.

 

Not your Ordinary Call-Up

All that extra seasoning in the minor leagues paid dividends for Uncorked (AUS) this past Saturday at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old mare made 16 starts across the UK and US circuits before finally debuting at the graded level in the $100,000 Royal Heroine (G3T).

To nobody’s surprise, the 5-year-old mare looked right at home in a clean two-length decision.

Running through bumper-to-bumper traffic in the early goings, the veteran duo of Uncorked (5-1) and legendary rider Frankie Dettori patiently waited until just past the three-quarter mark to make their move and leave the one-mile contest’s eight other challengers in the dust.

The long-awaited trip up the ranks also paid off for bettors to the tune of a $12.80 payout.

 

Final Curtain

It’s only fitting that Lammas (GB), a Golden Gate regular, came out on top in what quite possibly will be the last stakes event at the western California raceway before it shuts down operations on June 9.

Unlike Lorenzo, Lammas (9-1) may not have expected to play a leading role in the San Francisco Mile (G3T), but that didn’t stop the 7-year-old gelding from delivering an Emmy-worthy performance late Saturday afternoon.

Locked stride-for-stride with a pair of 5-1 challengers in Air Force Red and Astronomer heading into the stretch, Lammas and rider Irving Orozco emptied the tank to steal the $175,000 affair by a head.

If the San Francisco Mile does happen to be the last stakes at Golden Gate, that’s a pretty darn good way to go out.

Lammas’ inspired win paid $21.60.