Another superb weekend of racing at Woodbine concluded with three fantastic races – the 2023 Eclipse Stakes, Royal North Stakes, and Belle Mahone.
Saturday would turn out to be a superb day for one of Woodbine’s most successful trainers, Mark Casse. His charge, Our Flash Drive headed into the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes as the heavy favorite, and she didn’t disappoint. Despite facing nine other rivals she always travelled like the best horse in the race and was able to win her third successive graded victory.
Rounding out Saturday’s card was the Grade 3 Belle Mahone and yet again it was a Casse trained horse who would come out on top. Despite the presence of Canada’s reigning horse of the year, Moira, it was Souper Hoity Toity who would come out on top to land the third graded race of her fledging career.
Sunday’s card featured the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes where the Josie Carroll trained Treason was able to pull off the upset to land the biggest prize of his career to date.
Royal North Stakes
G2, 6 and a half furlongs, turf, open to fillies and mares aged four and over. Total prize pool: $175,000
- Our Flash Drive +180
- Sweet Enough +2000
- Millie Girl +2000
Winning time: 1:13.88
Following a dominant performance in the G3 Whimsical Stakes earlier this season, Our Flash Drive backed that victory up with another assured display in this year’s Grade 2 Royal North Stakes.
Nicely positioned at the head of affairs throughout, Our Flash Drive’s jockey Patrick Husbands made his move around the home turn and hit the front with just a furlong to run. Always doing enough, Husbands was able to sit tight and ensured Our Flash Drive would go onto win by just a length.
@horseracingtote Our Flash Drive takes the 2023 Royal North Stakes #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horsesoftiktok #Horses #Horse #FYP #Sports
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2023 Royal North Stakes Payouts
| Position | Horse | Win | Show | Place |
| 1 | Our Flash Drive | $4.30 | $2.90 | $2.30 |
| 2 | Sweet Enough | $8.00 | $4.20 | |
| 3 | Millie Girl | $3.20 |
Belle Mahone Stakes
G3, 1 mile and a sixteenth, dirt, open to fillies and mares aged four and over. Total prize pool: $150,000
- Souper Hoity Toity +500
- Moira -250
- Purrfect +2000
Winning time: 1:44.49
After their success in the Royal North Stakes, the duo of Casse and Husbands teamed up once again for this year’s renewal of the Belle Mahon Stakes. Moira for Kevin Attard was the heavy favorite heading into the race, but an upset was sprung with Souper Hoity Toity producing a superb front running ride to land the spoils.
Able to dictate the fractions throughout, Souper Hoity Toity dug deep down the home straight to deny firstly Il Malocchio and then Moira.
With Moira running on late, it looked like the reigning Canadian horse of the year would snatch victory at the death, but Souper Hoity Toity was able to find something extra deep inside the last few hundred yards to win by a neck.
@horseracingtote Moira wins the 2023 Belle Mahone Stakes #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horsesoftiktok #Horses #Horse #FYP #Sports
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2023 Belle Mahone Stakes Payouts
| Position | Horse | Win | Show | Place |
| 1 | Souper Hoity Toity | $13.70 | $3.60 | $2.30 |
| 2 | Moira | $2.10 | $2.10 | |
| 3 | Purrfect | $2.70 |
Eclipse Stakes
G2, 1 mile and a sixteenth, dirt, open to horses aged four and over. Total prize pool: $175,000
- Treason +600
- Carrothers +1200
- Tyson +450
Winning time: 1:43.09
Despite a deep field of eleven, this year’s Eclipse Stakes came down to a match between Treason and Carrothers.
With the two runners always at the head of affairs, it was Treason who made the first move as he shifted through the gears to take the lead as the field rounded the home turn. With Carrothers looking to track his every move, the two quickly separated themselves from the rest of the chasing pack.
Heading into the final furlong, it was Treason who just held the lead and despite Carrothers desperately trying to get past, he was always doing enough to ensure he would go onto land the spoils and with it the biggest prize of his career to date.
2023 Eclipse Stakes Payouts
| Position | Horse | Win | Show | Place |
| 1 | Treason | $14.60 | $7.30 | $4.90 |
| 2 | Carrothers | $10.80 | $6.30 | |
| 3 | Tyson | $4.80 |
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