Little Teddy wins an allowance May 29 at Woodbine, securing a two-race win streak (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Little Teddy, riding a two-race win streak, chases her second career stakes score when she goes postward in Sunday’s $100,000 Ballade, at Woodbine.
A six-furlong main track event for Ontario-sired fillies & mares, 4-year-olds and upward, the Ballade has attracted a field of five starters, including Little Teddy, a 4-year-old daughter of Frac Daddy out of the Silent Name (JPN) mare Explosive Leah.
Trained by Santino Di Paola, the roan filly, 5-2-2 from 11 starts, along with $246,820 (USD) in purse earnings, is on roll, having won her past two starts, both over the Woodbine main track.
On April 26, Little Teddy rallied to record a three-quarter length win at five furlongs in :58.12. One month later, she was back in the winner’s circle after a two-length triumph at six panels in 1:09.54.
“I think both races were impressive, especially because of the competition,” said Di Paola. “I would say the most recent win was especially impressive because of how fast she ran and how she kept that speed going. The final time was what you would see in a graded stakes race.”
Little Teddy breezed four furlongs over the Woodbine training track on Sunday, covering the distance in :49.20.
“The more you do with her, the better,” said Di Paola. “I took the six weeks in between races – that was always the plan – to freshen her up. Her first work back is always blazing quick. She just wants to get out and go. We were thrilled with the most recent work. She is just a very cool horse. She listens very, very well. She has grown leaps and bounds, mentally and physically, from last year to this year.
“Normally, I have my horses walk four to five turns, just to warm them up, make sure the tack isn’t slipping – those types of things before they work. She takes one half-spin, and we go because she is kicking down the walls. She knows when it’s breeze day. But it’s funny because when Austin [jockey, Adams] gets on her, she goes totally calm. He knows her well and they get along.”
After a seventh to launch her career in 2023, Little Teddy won next time out, at 48-1, before concluding her 2-year-old campaign with a third in the Shady Well Stakes.
“We didn’t know what we had heading into the first race,” recalled Di Paola. “We were hoping she would be decent. After that first one, she really turned a corner. I remember the exact work where everything changed. She was working with another horse of ours, Lady in Red, on the dirt, and they went in :47 and change. The jock was just sitting on Teddy. That was the moment we knew we had a good one.”
Little Teddy delivered her connections with a treasured victory in last year’s Georgian Bay Stakes. In what was her first test on turf, she emerged a neck winner in the five-furlong sprint over the Woodbine inner turf.
It was the first Woodbine stakes crown for owner York Tech Racing Stable, nom du course of Di Paola’s parents, Carmen and Raffaela Di Paola.
“She has helped me as a trainer in so many ways,” said Di Paola. “Everything that we have asked of her, she has done it and done it willingly.”
The conditioner, currently nursing a lower-body injury, has had a helping hand from his brother, groom Joey Di Paola.
“Joey has done a really good job with her, and he spends hours and hours keeping her happy and knows all her crazy moves. With my hamstring being torn, he leads her to and from the track every day because she’s super sharp coming home.”
Bred by Susan Rasmussen and H. Lothian, Little Teddy was a $15,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2022 CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale.
The race is part of Ontario Racing’s (TIP) Ontario Sires Stakes Program. https://tip.ontarioracing.com/tip-stakes-program/
Foaled in Kentucky, Ballade, a daughter of Herbager, was bred by Bob Byfield. She was purchased by E. P. Taylor for $55,000 (USD) from the 1973 Keeneland July Yearling Sale and spent her entire racing and breeding careers at the property of his Windfields Farm.
First post is 1:05 p.m. The wagering menu for the Ballade includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 3-4-5) and $1 Swinger.
Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.
Field for the $100,000 Ballade Stakes – Race 3
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Olivia Rose – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
2 – Talk to Ya Later – Ryan Munger – Ian Black
3 – Taquanyah – Leo Salles – Norm McKnight
4 – Silent Sky – Fraser Aebly – Kevin Attard
5 – Little Teddy – Austin Adams – Santino Di Paola
