Ready for Shirl flies home to win the Canadian (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Ready for Shirl earned her first graded stakes success in dramatic fashion in the $200,000 Canadian Stakes (G2T) Presented by The Japan Racing Association, on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine.
The Canadian, a 1 1/8-mile race over the E.P. Taylor turf for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, went postward with six hopefuls.
Multiple Group 1 winner Gimme a Nother (SAF), making her first start in Canada, took early control, and was followed closely by as Life’s an Audible, Scarlet Poppy (IRE) and Crevalle d’Oro, as Emma-Jayne Wilson, aboard Ready for Shirl, settled the Roger Attfield trainee into fifth through a modest opening quarter in :24.60.
Gimme a Nother (SAF), making her fourth American appearance since winning the first seven starts of her career in South Africa, maintained her half-length advantage through a half in :49.37. Ready for Shirl, who had come into the Canadian off a sharp second to Ocean Club in the one-mile Nassau Stakes (G2T) on June 28, waited for her cue from Wilson around the turn for home.
Still in charge at the head of the lane, Gimme a Nother (SAF) then braced for the challenge of multiple rivals in mid-stretch, including an outside burst from a revved up Ready for Shirl, who looked to reel in the pacesetter with little runway left.
At the wire, the 4-year-old bay filly collared Gimme a Nother (SAF) by a head. Venencia (FR) came flying late to finish third, a neck behind the runner-up. Scarlet Poppy was fourth.
The final time over good going was 1:49.57.
“She’s been training exceptional,” said Wilson, of the multiple graded stakes placed filly. “Her last breeze last week on the training track turf was quite stellar, both physically and mentally. And so, she kind of telegraphed to us that she was going to showcase a big day today, and she, she showed up exactly as we expected.
“It’s absolutely fun,” continued Wilson, who has made a strong return to the saddle in 2025 after suffering serious racing-related injuries last year. “It’s fun to be back in the tack, it’s fun to be back in the winner’s circle. It’s just fun to be here.”
It is the biggest win to date for Ready for Shirl, now 4-2-1 from 12 starts, for owner and breeder Charles Fipke.
“I remember saying her last work, it was as good as she’s ever worked for me,” said dual hall of famer Attfield. “She’s carrying more weight than she’s ever carried before, and since her last race, she’s put weight on. I’ve always had problems keeping weight on this filly, so she was indicating that she’s rounding into a really nice filly now.”
Bred in Kentucky, the daughter of More Than Ready out of the Perfect Soul (IRE) mare Perfect Shirl – the latter two both trained by Attfield and bred and owned by Fipke – broke her maiden in her debut, a 3 ½-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Keeneland turf on April 13, 2024.
Ready for Shirl paid $14.50 for the win.
