Olivia Rose show casing her front running style under Rafael Hernandez. (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
TORONTO, Ont. – Olivia Rose tussled for the early lead and then sprinted away from her rivals down the lane in the $125,000 Fury Stakes Presented by Stella Artois, Saturday at Woodbine.
After a sixth to launch her sophomore campaign, Olivia Rose, trained by Mark Casse, was back on the winning track with a polished wire-to-wire performance in the Fury, a seven-furlong main track event for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada.
Under Rafael Hernandez, the daughter of Silent Name (JPN) got away smartly and was quickly engaged to her inside by 5-2 choice Sounds Practical before assuming command ahead of the opening quarter timed in :22.23.
Olivia Rose expanded her lead to two lengths over Sounds Practical through a half in :44.23 and was still travelling well as the field straightened for home.
After putting away her closest pursuer, the dark bay, three lengths clear at the stretch call, went on to post a 4 ¾-length score in a time of 1:22.63. Red Samurai, supplemented to the race, was second. Lunch With Bernie, another Casse trainee, was third. Bravo Kate finished fourth.
“We had fast fractions, but you don’t feel like that when you have a good horse,” said Hernandez, who now has 150 career stakes wins.
Bred and owned by Gabe Grossberg, Olivia Rose earned her third career win, to go along with a pair of seconds, from eight starts. It was her second stakes success, having taken last year’s South Ocean at 6 ½ panels over the Woodbine main track.
She debuted last July at the Toronto oval, finishing second and eighth in her first two starts, respectively, before a sensational 13 ¼-length maiden-breaking performance in her third test on August 26.
For Casse, it was his ninth Fury triumph and second straight. Last year, he won with Ticker Tape Home.
Sent off as the 4-1 third choice, Olivia Rose returned $10.80 for the win.
