Look Out Saratoga - Canadian Ladies Are On Their Way!

Across the blogosphere racing fans are lauding the brilliance of two American fillies. Everyone is talking about Rachel and Zenyatta. Rightly so, they're both fantastic horses. However, at Woodbine, the locals talk about Milwaukee Appeal who bravely took on the boys in two of the Canadian Triple Crown races finishing third in the Queen's Plate and missing by a sliver in the Prince of Wales.

Milwaukee Appeal, appealing, in the Woodbine walking ring


In two week's time, America may get a chance to see the best three year-old filly Canada has to offer in the Alabama Stakes held at Saratoga on August 22nd. According to a report filed by Bill Tallon, the Scott Fairlie trained filly could also be joined by Stakes winning filly Tasty Temptation.

Milwaukee Appeal and Tasty Temptation have developed quite a rivalry dating back to the Woodbine Oaks when Tasty Temptation got left at the gate but made a big move around the far turn to finish second best.

Tasty Temptation was late to the Oaks party


Both fillies tried the Queen's Plate just two week's later and the public thought enough of their chances to see them both go to post at odds of 5-1. Milwaukee Appeal's regular rider, Stewart Elliott, shipped in to steer the daughter of Milwaukee Brew while Tasty Temptation had the benefit of Woodbine's top jock Patrick Husbands. Milwaukee Appeal broke alertly and immediately found a good position. Tasty Temptation, out of the 11 hole, broke well but was caught up in a group of horses and forced to race wide as the field passed in front of the grandstand for the first time. Husbands moved forward with the Mark Casse trained filly and found a comfortable spot six horses behind the leaders. Elliott kept Milwaukee Appeal under a hold in fourth stalking the front-running Mr. Foricos Two U with Mike Smith in the irons.

Approaching the far turn, Husbands pushed Tasty Temptation up to the leaders and side-by-side with Milwaukee Appeal. As Smith tried in vain to maintain a diminishing lead over the fast-approaching Eye of the Leopard, the two fillies resumed a determined battle just two lengths behind the front pair. Deep in the lane, the fillies reached the tail of Eye of the Leopard and ever-so-briefly it appeared there might be a chance both fillies would run on. However, Eurico Rosa da Silva dug in with his big colt and burst forward. Milwaukee Appeal, spurred by the movement, chased Eye of the Leopard through the wire in third place and galloped out in tandem with the winner. A tiring Mr Foricos Two U held for second with the two fillies just in their shadows. It was a remarkable performance for both ladies.

Milwaukee Appeal chilling out on shedrow


Fairlie sent Milwaukee Appeal to Fort Erie to try the Prince of Wales Stakes. This time the filly easily put away her Queens Plate rivals Eye of the Leopard and Mr. Foricos Two U, but was denied the silverware by the narrowest of margins when Gallant somehow nosed her out at the wire. Since that race on July 12th, the filly has been chilling out on shedrow.

A cruel photo finish for Milwaukee Appeal


While Milwaukee Appeal was taking on the boys Triple Crown races, Tasty Temptation returned to the Triple Tiara scene and scored her first Stakes win in the Wonder Where Stakes going a mile and a quarter on a spongy Woodbine turf course. The Medaglio D'Oro filly once again used an off-the-pace approach and nailed First Circle at the wire with the favourite Miss Blakely a quiet fifth. It wasn't just a change of surface for the gray filly, there was also a change of equipment. “Today, with no blinkers on, I was on a different horse,” said jockey Patrick Husbands following the race.

Tasty Temptation enjoyed her first taste of the Stakes winners circle


The Alabama Stakes is an altogether different kind of test for Canada's lovely ladies. Both have proved they can meet the classic ten-furlong distance, but now they must take on American-breds in a tough Grade One event. Milwaukee Appeal proved her mettle on the dirt at Fort Erie, but Tasty Temptation has yet to make a statement on the dirt.

Should Rachel Alexandra choose the Alabama, one of five races she is nominated to, the battle might well be for place. However, the race within the race for the Canadian-bred beauties will certainly be a barnstormer.

A NYRA press release issued today lists the following as possible starters:

"At this point, probables for the 129th running of the Grade 1 Alabama for 3-year-old fillies going 1¼ miles include Westrock Stables’ Lake George winner Be Fair, Donver Stable’s Careless Jewel, Alan Brodsky’s Don’t Forget Gil, Mrs. C. Wilson McNeely, III’s Funny Moon, C.E.C. Farms’ Milwaukee Appeal, Woodford Racing LLC’s Tasty Temptation and Arnold Zechter’s Wynning Ride. Bon Jovi Girl, Gozzip Girl, and Sweet and Flawless are questionable."

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As a side note in Tallon's column, it was noted that Cawaja Beach has been retired. Cawaja Beach was a favourite of this blog and though she only raced five times, I've written about her repeatedly. The filly won three Stakes races as a two year-old (Shady Well, Nandi and Victorian Queen) and won her last outing of 2008 in nail-biting fashion.

After attempting a return on the Woodbine turf on July 22nd, Cawaja Beach has been retired due to a sesamoid fracture. She will be missed on the track, but I'm already looking forward to her offspring.

Scott Fairlie, Mike the groom and the exciting Cawaja Beach