Bessarabian Stakes 2014 at Woodbine

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes comes our way this Sunday, November 16 from Woodbine in beautiful Toronto, Ontario. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Woodbine's All Weather Track and go seven furlongs for a purse of $200,000.

12 older females have been confirmed for the Bessarabian - race 8 on Woodbine's Sunday schedule. Post time is 4:24 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2014 Bessarabian Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Native Bombshell - Sid Attard trained filly enters having won four of her last five starts - one being the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes here October 19 in her only race in the last 12 months. Before the long layoff was a win in the minor Ruling Angel Stakes and a disappointing ninth in the 2013 edition of the minor Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga in August. She has just six career starts but has been impressive in all but one - four wins and a third place finish. Native Bombshell hopes to make yet another statement Sunday from gate 8 with Jesse Campbell guiding her.

Disco Barbie - has placed in 12 of 13 career starts for trainer Dale Capuano - five wins, three seconds and four third place finishes. She enters off consecutive runner-up finishes - behind Native Bombshell as 8-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes last time out on this track October 19 and the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters September 8. Before that was an Allowance score August 18 after a third in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap in June and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores this summer. Disco Barbie has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in her last six starts - as competitive as they come lately. Trevor McCarthy will be in the reins from post 5 Sunday.

Bessarabian Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Cryptic Message - is coming off a close third in her graded stakes debut - behind Native Bombshell and Disco Barbie in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes here October 19 which followed a Claiming score on this track in October, a fourth, a second and a win in Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track in the summer. She has 15 career starts with seven wins, three seconds and two third place finishes and will be looking to build on a decent effort last time out. Eurico Rosa Da Silva has the mount from post 10.

Cat Lore - Roger Attfield trained mare has failed to place in three starts this year - last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes here October 19. Cat Lore has 19 career starts with four wins, four seconds and three third place finishes and looks for her first win since July, 2013 - an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Arlington when she leaves from gate 6 with Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons.

Sky Treasure - Mark Casse trained filly has 10 career starts with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish - a win and a second in five starts this year. She was a good second in the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes here July 27 and followed that with an Allowance Optional Claiming score August 22 - also on this track August 22. Last time out was a fourth in the minor Buffalo Trace Franklin Country Stakes at Keeneland October 10. She has two graded stakes starts but has failed to place in either - hopes are she reverses that trend with Gary Boulanger in the saddle from the rail.

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Hillaby - will race for just the seventh time for trainer Mark Casse but has looked good in her six starts - three wins, a second and a third place finish. She makes her graded stakes debut Sunday off a gate-to-wire Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track October 19, a sixth in the minor Avowal Stakes September 20, an Allowance and a maiden score in this track this summer. She makes a huge step up in competition but looks more than ready. Patrick Husbands rides from post 9.

Strike the Moon - was decent in during a spell in 2013 for trainer Michael Trombetta - one win, two seconds and two third place finishes in five starts was capped by a third place finish in the 2013 Bessarabian last December. This year he hasn't been great - a sixth last time out in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes here October 19 followed a fourth in the minor Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town and a ninth in an Allowance at Presque Isle Downs in August. She has 33 career starts with just five wins, nine seconds and five third place finishes and will line up in gate 7 with Gary Olguin aboard.

Dauphine Russe - French bred Chad Brown trained filly had a win and two seconds in nine starts at home before shipping. She finished fourth in the Prix de Sandringham (Fr-II) at Chantilly in her last race in France before debuting with a fifth in the minor Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park a year ago. She had been OK after that before a two race win streak leading up to this weekend - by 1 1/4 lengths in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park October 13 and an Allowance in April. She makes her graded stakes debut Sunday in OK form - from post 11 with Julie Leparoux aboard.

Pirate's Trove - Michael Stidham trained filly has just four career starts with three wins including the minor Duchess Stakes July 20 and the minor Etobicoke Stakes September 1 - both results on this track. She made a jump into graded stakes company last time out wand didn't look great - a last of 11 finish in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland October 18. She hopes to break through in graded stakes company for the first time Sunday with Florent Geroux in charge from the outside post.

Grace Phil - has 25 career starts for trainer Michael Doyle with nine wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and has two wins in four starts this year. Last time out was a Starter Allowance score September 6 after a Claiming victory in August - both results on this track. She has done OK in minor stakes action the last three years but steps into graded stakes company for the first time Sunday. David Moran gets the call from post 2.

Silent Star - David Bell trained filly makes her graded stakes debut Sunday off a third in the minor River Memories Stakes October 5 and a second in the minor Classy n' Smart Stakes September 28 - both coming on this track. She has placed in eight of nine starts this year - the best result coming in July - a win in the minor Victoriana Stakes here. She has been in every race this year and could surprise Sunday. Justin Stein will be in the saddle from post 3.

Midnight Ballet - Steve Attard trained filly has 10 career starts with three wins and a third place finish. She raced three straight graded stakes races between December, 2012 and April, 2013 with a pair of fifths and a seventh place finish - she hopes for better this weekend. Midnight Ballet is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Arlington September 26 after a third in a similar race in August and a pair of sixths including the minor Ellis Park Turf in July. She won the minor Sharp Cat Stakes two years ago but has failed to place in four stakes starts since. Luis Contreras will be in charge of snapping that trend from post 4.


2014 Bessarabian Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Woodbine's Sunday card with a Post Time of 4:24 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Sky Treasure G. Boulanger M. Casse
8-1
2 Grace Phil D. Moran M. Doyle
20-1
3 Silent Star J. Stein D. Bell
15-1
4 Midnight Ballet L. Contreras S. Attard
20-1
5 Disco Barbie T. McCarthy D. Capuano
3-1
6 Cat Lore E. Wilson R. Attfield
20-1
7 Strike the Moon G. Olguin M. Trombetta
20-1
8 Native Bombshell J. Campbell S. Attard
7-2
9 Hillaby P. Husbands M. Casse
9-2
10 Cryptic Message E. Da Silva M. Doyle
20-1
11 Dauphine Russe (FR) J. Leparoux C. Brown
10-1
12 Pirate's Trove F. Geroux M. Stidham
6-1