Literate with her eyes on the prize in the Trillium (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Literate saved her best for last in the $150,000 Trillium Stakes Presented by Don Julio (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.
Sent off as the 7-2 second choice in the 1 1/16-mile main track race for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Literate, a 5-year-old daughter of Oscar Performance out of the Henrythenavigator mare Infanta Branca, sat last of six through opening splits of :24.10 and :47.51.
Sahin Civaci, who recorded his 700th career victory one race earlier, had the Marty Drexler trainee hugging the rail turning for home and then found a seam where they could take aim at leader and mutuel choice Caitlinhergrtness, who had hit front straightening for the stretch drive.
With less than 70 yards to go, Literate pushed past a game Caitlinhergrtness, last year’s King’s Plate winner, to post a determined half-length win. Fashionably Fab was third and For Flying (BRZ) was fourth.
The final time was 1:43.23.
It was the first career stakes triumph for Literate, owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC.
“I figured that she’s going to come running,” said Drexler, who also sent out Veery (fifth) in the race. “As it turned out, we saved ground all the way around there, so it actually was a great trip.”
Literate launched her career with four races at Gulfstream. She was second in her debut on December 4, 2022, and broke her maiden in her fifth start, a two-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on June 22, 2024, doubling up one month later, also at the Toronto oval.
She was sixth in the Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs and arrived at the Trillium off a fourth to Caitlinhergrtness in the Belle Mahone (G3) at Woodbine on May 31.
“I just thought that we had a little bit of a wide trip last time,” said Drexler. “She’s coming to this race training even better than she did the last time. Not to take away from Kevin’s (trainer, Attard) horse (Caitlinhergrtness), she’s a great filly, but I really do think this is a good horse.”
Literate, now 5-3-1 from 15 starts, was a $27,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.
Ned Hayes is the groom.
Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Literate paid $9.90 for the win.
