TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon

Exclusive Company

Only six horses have gone back-to-back in the 44-year history of the Ontario Fashion Stakes (G3). This Saturday at Woodbine, Hazelbrook (10-1) will look to become the first repeat winner since Atlantic Hurricane in 2012.

The 5-year-old Hazelbrook was Canada’s 2022 champion female sprinter but has yet to recapture that success in a winless 2023 campaign. Ironically, her last victory came in the 2022 edition of the Ontario Fashion Stakes, where she closed as the 2-5 favorite.

She’ll rely on that experience when battling to reclaim her title against a stiff 11-horse field that includes graded stakes winners Our Flash Drive, Ready to Venture (GB), and Loyalty.

Family Business

If winning runs in the family, then Mawj (IRE) has the inside track to a stellar performance in this Saturday’s $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland.

A half-sister to champion and two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games (IRE), Mawj has put together quite a resume herself since joining the professional circuit in May 2022. In eight career contests, the filly owns a tidy 5-1-1 line, headlined by a Group 1 victory in her most recent run, the Qipco One Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1).

Saturday’s start at Keeneland will mark the 2-year-old’s North America debut. She faces a tough test in Elusive Princess (FR), who also won her most recent race and North American debut, the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) on Aug. 4.

Three-on-Three

Trainers Mark Casse and Kevin Attard are playing three-on-three this weekend in the $250,000 Cup & Saucer Stakes at Woodbine. The premier duo is each sending out three competitors for the 86^th running of the 1 1/16-mile event for Canadian-foaled 2-year-olds.

Casse, a dual hall of famer, will try his hand with English Jubilee (20-1), Magic Slips (10-1), and My Boy Prince (4-5), who finished second in the Summer Stakes (G1) as the 2-1 favorite. His other two entrants are a combined 1-1-0 in five career starts.

Attard, who won the 2022 King’s Plate with Moira, will roll out King Rosso (12-1), War Painter (3-1), and Zippy Gizmo (15-1), who rides a two-race win streak into Saturday’s affair. War Painter, a 2-year-old filly, has hit the board in each of his three lifetime runs, going 1-1-1. King Rosso will make his second career start after finishing sixth on August 20.

Confidence Booster

After a brief stint against lower competition, Maryland-bred King’s River appears to have his mojo back ahead of Saturday’s $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery at Laurel Park.

Two disappointing runs to start his career led the 2-year-old’s connections to drop him down a level to get his confidence back… and boy did it ever. On a quiet Sunday afternoon, King’s River delivered a dominant 13-length victory, the first of his young career.

Horses, just like any pro athlete, need to spend some time in the minors to get their mind right before coming back up to the big time. At 6-1, King’s River now has his sights set on a repeat performance in what will no doubt be his most challenging test to date.

Caravel Carnival

This Sunday’s $300,000 Franklin Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland could be a day to remember for 9-5 favorite Caravel.

The multiple Grade 1 stakes winner has a chance to start one streak and extend another should she get the job done on her preferred surface, turf.

A victory this weekend would give the 6-year-old back-to-back Franklin wins, making her only the second horse to ever accomplish such a feat since the race’s inaugural running in 1997. What’s more, a win would also make Caravel a perfect 4-for-4 at Keeneland.

To nobody’s surprise, her biggest win to date also came at Keeneland in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

The opening line favorite owns an impressive 15-0-3 line in 24 career starts.