TORONTO, June 11—Queen Del Valle, invading from south of the border, took over from front-running Will She in late stretch and prevailed by a half-length length in Sunday’s $100,000 Alywow Stakes at Woodbine.
The final time for the Alywow, a six-furlong turf race for 3-year-old fillies, was a track-record 1:12.93 on a firm course.
Toronto Ont June 11, 2017 Woodbine Racetrack.Alywow Stakes, Queen Del Valle Jockey Edgar Zayas,owner Big Lick Farm and trainer Reid Nagle.WEG/michael burns photo
Queen Del Valle broke like a bullet from post 3 under regular rider Edgard Zayas but soon conceded the front end to Will She and jockey Jesse Campbell.
Will She showed the way through a quarter-mile in :21.51 and a half in :43.46 and was still in front through five furlongs in 1:06.35 before giving way grudgingly in the closing yards. “I heard that the track was a little fast, and speed holds a little bit,” said Zayas. “I tried to stay close to the pace. She’s very game; she’s a very nice filly.”
Queen Del Valle is shown heading to the winners circle with jockey Edgar Zayas. Courtesy of WEG.
India Mantuana, in from Saratoga for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, stalked the pace from fourth and fell a neck short of catching Will She for the place. Silent Sonet was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth after tracking the leaders throughout from fifth place.
Victory to Victory, who was sent off as the odds-on favorite after earning the Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly last year, made up some ground late but was a non-threatening fifth for trainer Mark Casse.
She was followed to the wire by her stablemate Superduper Sky, R Nana and Just Be Kind in the field of eight.
Queen Del Valle was the first Woodbine mount for Zayas and the first starter for trainer Reid Nagle
“She knows where the wire is, and Edgard fits her perfectly,” said Nagle.
Queen Del Valle was claimed for $25,000 from her first lifetime start at Gulfstream Park and has since won nine of 10 starts, all on the turf in Florida.
The Alywow was the second stakes win and the most important to date for the Kentucky-bred who races for Big Lick Farm.
“She’s done everything right; she’s done everything we’ve asked her to,” said Zayas. “It was a nice step up in class for her, and she handled it pretty nice.”
Queen Del Valle returned $29.40, $10.80 and $8.00. The 3-7 exactor with Will She ($7.80, $6.30), came back a healthy $219.30 and the trifecta 3-7-4 trifecta with India Mantuana ($4.30) returned $763.20.
Silver Sonet rounded out a 3-7-4-1 superfecta which was worth $1,769.15 for $1.