Wozniacki and Jockey Pietro Moran winning R6 on June 7, 2025. (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, Ont. – Wozniacki, named after tennis champion Caroline Wozniacki, will take on seven rivals in Sunday’s $100,000 Thunder Bay Stakes.
Trained by Tino Attard, the daughter of Reload out of the Posse mare Blonde Breeze was a $40,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2023 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale.
“I looked at a bunch of horses at that sale,” said Joshua Attard, who co-owns the filly with his sister, Taylor Attard. “She just caught my eye. We checked out each consignor – my dad (trainer Kevin Attard) and my grandfather (Tino) – and they trusted me to pick out my own horse. I went to see (late horseman) Paul Buttigieg’s consignment, and this horse really stood out to me.
“She had a couple of very nice siblings, Jim’s Hope and Ol’ Blondie, and she’s a very well put together horse – classy, intelligent, with a nice walk to her. I told my dad and grandfather I liked her, and they said it was up to me. I bid on her, and we got her. I was very happy we did.”
Wozniacki arrives at the six-furlong test over the E.P. Taylor turf for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies off a pair of impressive performances.
She won her debut on June 7, a three-length score at six panels over the Woodbine main track, stopping the teletimer in 1:11.45.
“I wouldn’t say I was surprised,” said Joshua, who recently earned his assistant trainer’s license. “She had worked well coming into the race. The first couple of works were just average, but after we put the blinkers on, that’s when she showed what kind of horse she can be. She was more focused.
“I thought she would run well. I wasn’t sure if she would win, but I thought she would have a good effort, considering her works. She broke sharp, but she settled and relaxed well. I think she got a lot of experience sitting off a horse and then making a nice move.
“Taylor has always liked horses and she likes this one, so we decided to go in on a partnership. To have her first horse win first time out was special, too.”
Three weeks later, the chestnut filly was back at the same distance and on the same surface.
Bumped at the break, Wozniacki recovered and made a late five-wide push to end up just a half-length back of the winner in third.
“I thought she ran a very good race,” said Joshua. “She broke a little slowly out of the gate and was farther back than we had anticipated. I thought it was a very solid performance, and she moved up off that first start.”
Bred by the late Paul Buttigieg and James Goodman, the filly posted a pair of four-furlong works ahead of the Thunder Bay, including a :49.20 breeze over the Woodbine turf training track on July 13.
One week later, she took to the Woodbine main track for a :48.60 breeze.
“It’s going to be tougher competition,” said Joshua. “The breeze on the turf – I thought she worked stellar. (Jockey) Pietro Moran’s brother, Will, worked her and he said he didn’t feel her feet touching the ground, that she was just floating over it. That’s what I could also see. I always thought she would like the turf. She has big feet, and her stride seems to show she likes running on it, too.”
Marlon Price is the groom.
Multiple graded stakes winning trainer Darwin Banach will send out Suigu Belle in the Thunder Bay.
“We bought this filly at the (2023 Canadian Premier Yearling) sale for our owner, Heino Vesik,” noted Banach, of the $30,000 (CDN) purchase. “He’s an older gentleman and he always has one horse to run. We were ready to run her as a 2-year-old and the day she was supposed to race, she came up with a little pressure in her ankle, so we didn’t want to take any chances.
“We got the surgery done and got her ready for her 3-year-old season.”
The daughter of Reload out of the Vindication mare Quinnderella heads into her first stakes event in winning form.
On June 28, Suigu Belle posted an authoritative front-running 5 ¼-length score in a five-furlong sprint over good going on the Woodbine inner turf.
“She broke so well and has that natural early speed, so Fraser (jockey, Aebly) didn’t have to send right out of the gate,” said Banach. “She just galloped along and kind of floated to the front. She did it very easily.”
There were, however, some tense moments for the connections ahead of the race.
“I ended up having to drive to get the owner and bring him to the racetrack,” recalled Banach. “His sister and daughter couldn’t make it that day – they had other plans – and we ended up getting stuck in traffic on the way back. I didn’t even know if we would make it back in time for the race.
“We made it, and he ended up getting his picture in the winner’s circle. He was very happy. It all worked out in the end.”
The victory came five weeks after a tenth in her career bow, a 5 ½-furlong main track race that attracted 11 starters.
“It was a big field, and she was outside. She is the type of filly that if you do send her, she is going to give you her all and you won’t get her back. She went as far as she could, as fast as she could, and that was that.”
Suigu Belle, bred by Dr. Brian Van Arem, worked four furlongs in :48.00 over the Woodbine main track on July 20 ahead of the Thunder Bay.
“She can handle the surface,” said Banach. “Going from a maiden win to a stakes race is probably a little ambitious, but she is doing so well, and we’ll take a shot at it.”
Nicole Johnston is the groom.
First post for Sunday is 1:05 p.m. The wagering menu for the Lake Superior includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 2-3-4), 0.20 $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 (2-3-4-5-6) and $1 Swinger.
Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.
Field for the $100,000 Thunder Bay – Race 8
