Woodbine: A Game pulls off 48-1 upset in Ontario Fashion

Photo:

Woodbine / Michael Burns Photo

One race after earning his first Woodbine stakes victory, jockey
Fraser Aebly notched his first graded triumph when he guided A Game to a 48-1 upset
score in the Grade 3, US$113,015 Ontario Fashion Stakes on Saturday at the
Toronto track.

Aebly, enjoying an impressive 2024 campaign, had little time
to celebrate his first milestone moment when he piloted 27-1 Ecstasy to Ontario
Damsel Stakes glory in race 7.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

Just over half-hour later, the young rider teamed with the
longest shot on the board to cap off a memorable fall day at
Woodbine.

Star Candy and Beauty of the Sea, who was supplemented to
the Ontario Fashion, slugged it out steps out of the gate in the six-furlong,
Tapeta sprint for fillies and mares with the former eventually seizing the lead
and taking her nine rivals through an opening quarter-mile in 23.00 seconds.
Aebly had the Josie Carroll trainee settled into eighth.

Beauty of the Sea was a head better than Star Candy through
a half-mile in 45.66 seconds. Aebly maintained a patient hand with A Game, then
ninth but still in touch with the pacesetters.

Beauty of the Sea took control but soon had to contend with
Love to Shop, who was making a spirited run in the late going. A Game, who had
begun to make inroads, found a seam between rivals with less than 100 yards to
go and gutted out a head win over Love to Shop. Beauty of the Sea was third,
followed by 5-2 mutuel choice Ticker Tape Home.

The final time was 1:09.49.

“We broke well, and we got a nice trip, kind of in the third
flight,” Aebly said. “Coming around the turn I found myself kind of creeping up,
and I was waiting for a hole, and we got lucky and found one up the inside. I
was sitting on a lot of horse, and she tried so hard for me.”

Bred in Ontario by the late Bill Graham and owned by Mark
Dodson, the 5-year-old mare made her stakes debut a memorable one.

“This filly has never been in better shape,” Carroll said.
“And if you look at her past performances, she just shows up every time. It
certainly seemed like the time to allow her to try stakes company. I think
she’s at her best right now. She’s just peaking.

“This young man gave her a terrific ride. I was a little
worried when I saw the crowd, but he sat chilly, he sat patient, and then he
was bold coming through. And the filly was the same way.”

Sired by Distorted Humor out of Bernardini mare Cautious
Dreams, A Game was a first-time-out winner, posting a half-length victory at 6 1/2
furlongs in an off-the-turf race at Woodbine on Oct. 15, 2022. She arrived at
the Ontario Fashion off a head triumph at six furlongs on the synthetic track Sept.
21.

Now 10: 4-1-2, A Game paid $99.20 for the win.