ICYMI: August 18 – 20

TORONTO — By: Matthew Lomon

Oh, How Sweet it is

Canadiansweetheart stole the show in the Sweet Briar Too Stakes at Woodbine this past Saturday. Despite a 4-0-1 record in six 2023 starts, the filly entered the contest at 36-1, by far the highest odds of anyone in the field. It didn’t matter though, as jockey Leo Salles delivered a perfect ride to stun the competition and secure Canadiansweetheart’s first career stakes triumph.

But the story doesn’t end there. Owner Kris Manohar purchased the horse for $25,000 in the spring. For context, Saturday’s victory alone pulled in $75,000 for the winning connections (rounded out by trainer Renico Lafond). Not a bad investment if you ask me.

For bettors, the win paid a healthy $75.70 for a $2 wager.

Ride of a Lifetime

Very few people, if any, have had a better five-week stretch than trainer Lindsay Schultz.

After winning her first stakes race on July 15, she followed it up with another stakes victory less than a month later on August 13. Then, a mere six days later, she put together an encore performance that went down as the biggest win of her three-year career, when Whelan Springs hit the jets to secure a half-length win in the August 19 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Schultz’s stock is ballooning thanks to the string of stellar performances and with it, the bankrolls of bettors who stuck around for the ride.

Definition of Domination

Chain Gang, driven with the greatest of confidence by James Macdonald, was the gold standard in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Leg on Saturday night at Mohawk. Trained by Nick Gallucci, the 1-2 favourite didn’t just do what he was expected to do, he did it with flair.

It’s not often you can celebrate a win at the top of the stretch, but in this case that’s exactly what played out. Although a performance like this won’t put a lot of money in your wallet, it’s good for the psyche heading into your next wager.

A quarterback always wants to complete their first pass, even if it’s just a simple screen.

The Prince Becomes the King

Paramount Prince left Sunday’s card a champion after a regal performance from legendary jockey Patrick Husbands. The 3-year-old gelding entered the race at 10-1, far and away exceeding what was expected of him to capture the 164th running of the King’s Plate.

Although the performance may have been a mild surprise for bettors, it didn’t come off that way for Husbands or trainer Mark Casse, who each landed their third Plate victory late Sunday afternoon. The dual Hall of Fame horseman ended up with the top two finishers, as Elysian Field provided a strong effort to edge out Stanley House for the second spot.

For his efforts, Paramount Prince rewarded his backers with an $18 win.

New track, No Problem

Travelling halfway across the world hasn’t slowed down Mirragon A one bit. The Australian import delivered another statement win at the Batavia Open on Saturday night, on what happened to be the fourth different track he’s raced on since coming to North America.

The Aussie’s August 19 victory was his fourth in seven North American starts. For his performance, backers were rewarded with a cool $13 payout for a $2 bet.

Keep an eye on this standout who’s shown remarkable adaptiveness over an impressive sample size.