Queen Macha and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning Race 7 on July 6, 2024, at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Keen Ice Mare Chasing Grade 3 Seaway Score
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, Ont. – A field of 11 fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, will travel seven furlongs on the all-weather track in Saturday’s $135,000 Seaway Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.
Queen Macha, a 5-year-old daughter of Keen Ice-Sue Me Baby, has constructed a record of 4-5-6 from 25 starts, to go along with $211,506 (U.S.) in purse earnings.
Trained by Martin Drexler for owner C2 Racing Stable LLC, the grey mare will contest her second straight stakes event after a third in the Sweet Briar Too last time out.
Sent off at 17-1 in the six-furlong race run over a firm E.P. Taylor turf, Queen Macha rallied from seventh at the stretch call to finish third, 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner.
Drexler lauded the effort.
“It wasn’t the ideal trip because of traffic, but she still ran great. She has that ability to come running in the stretch and she showed it that day.”
Bred by Calumet Farm, Queen Macha launched her career on September 10, 2021, at Gulfstream Park, and finished second.
Her next seven starts, all at Gulfstream, yielded another runner-up effort, a pair of thirds, and four consecutive fourth-place results.
From February 2, 2022, to September 29, 2022, a stretch of nine races, she finished fourth on eight occasions. Queen Macha’s breakthrough win came at Delaware Park during that time frame, in her tenth lifetime start, on July 2, 2022.
In all, she has finished outside the top four only twice, an eleventh-place result in early March and a seventh this June.
“I felt like she was going to do well,” said Drexler, whose first start as Queen Macha’s trainer resulted in a win on May 4 at Woodbine. “She is a big, big horse, and early on, we were looking to find what the best fit for her was in terms of the ideal distance.
“She got out a little bit on the turns, which we were able to sort out fairly quickly, and it hasn’t been an issue. She has been a nice horse to have.”
Queen Macha’s most recent trip to the winner’s circle came one race prior to the Sweet Briar Too, on July 6, when she rallied for a three-quarter length tally at seven furlongs on the Woodbine all-weather track.
“It was a great effort,” praised Drexler. “I think, going forward, she is going to be a very good turf horse going seven-eighths to a mile. That said, she is very genuine, and has shown she is more than capable on the all-weather track. She tries hard and has the ability.
“I wouldn’t say she has been a surprise, but we are very happy with her, and I think there is a lot to look forward to with her. She is not difficult in any way – just a very nice horse.”
Jorge Pizarro is the groom.
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, jockey Robin Platts, has a record six Seaway scores. Prospective Dolly won three editions (1991-92 and 1994) of the race that was inaugurated in 1956.
Saturday’s first post is 1:05 p.m. The Seaway is listed as race 10. Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.
