Creed’s Gold earns her first stakes victory in the Hendrie (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Creed’s Gold struck stakes gold in the $150,000 Hendrie (G3), a 6 ½-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Saturday at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse, Creed’s Gold, a 4-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed out of the Fairbanks mare Foxyfromfairbanks, earned her first stakes victory in impressive fashion, while delivering the same for owner Kristin Meldahl.
It was a multi-horse scramble for the lead with Creed’s Gold, at 9-2, emerging on top, followed by stablemates Run for the Hills and Ticker Tape Home after an opening quarter in :22.85.
The chestnut filly continued to call the shots through a half in :45.34, as both Run for the Hills and Ticker Tape Home began to ratchet up the pressure into the turn for home, while Nice as Pie skimmed the rail looking to get into contention.
Creed’s Gold shook off the challenges of her barn mates and began to separate herself from her pursuers mid-way down the lane. With less than 220 yards to go, Creed’s Gold widened her advantage at will under steady urging from Rafael Hernandez, going on to record a 3 ¾-length score in 1:15.54. Ticker Tape Home was second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Nice as Pie. Ms. Tart was fourth.
“I looked at the form and I definitely wanted to get out of there running,” said Hernandez, who notched his 167th career stakes win, while closing in on 3,300 lifetime victories. “If she did let me get the lead, I was definitely going to get it and try to control the pace. I was able to break out of the gate and put her in a good position.
“I just tried to get a jump before the other horses [at the top of the stretch]. I know we got a couple horses, especially the (Miguel) Clement horse (defending Hendrie champion Gal in a Rush), who was going to finish running, so I made sure get the jump before him.”
After a pair of sixth-place finishes to begin her career at Gulfstream in early 2024, Creed’s Gold broke her maiden that March in a one-mile turf dash at the Hallandale oval.
She came into the Hendrie off a seventh, four lengths back of the winner, Pipsy (IRE), in the Intercontinental Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga on June 5.
With today’s win, Creed’s Gold is 4-2-2 from 11 starts. She was third in last year’s Alywow Stakes at Woodbine.
Bred in Kentucky by Linda Griggs, Creed’s Gold was a $25,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.
She paid $11.20 for today’s win.
