Graded stakes champion Bear Paw goes after her first graded score in the Grade 3 $125,000 Trillium Stakes, at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, June 16. Bear Paw is the a four-year-old daughter of Bear's Kid.

Trained by Ashlee Brnjas, the ultra-consistent Ontario-bred heads into the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event off a pair of impressive starts at the Toronto oval, including a win in her most recent test on May 26.

2019 Trillium Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 at Woodbine on Sunday, June 16 - Post 4:55 PM

Entry	Horse	ML Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Tapa Tapa Tapa	7-2	Jesse Campbell 117 Lbs	Timothy Hamm
2	Miss Mo Mentum	20-1	Jerome Lermyte 119 Lbs	Mark Casse
3	Bear Paw	20-1	Justin Stein 119 Lbs	Ashlee Brnjas
4	Dixie Moon	4-1	Eurico Da Silva 121 Lbs	Catherine Day Phillips
5	She's the Berries	3-1	Patrick Husbands 119 Lbs	Mark Casse
6	Lunar Garden	20-1	Rafael Hernandez 117 Lbs	Stuart Simon
7	Summer Luck	8-1	Emma-Jayne Wilson 117 Lbs	Mark Casse
8	Cartabianca (FR)	20-1	Steven Bahen 117 Lbs	Roger Attfield
9	Ladies Night	12-1	Alan Garcia 117 Lbs	Gail Cox
10	Giovanna Blues	12-1	Gary Boulanger 117 Lbs	Francine Villeneuve
11	Hot Cash	8-1	Luis Contreras 117 Lbs	Michael Doyle

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Under Luis Contreras, Bear Paw, the 2-5 mutuel favorite, rallied to eke out a head victory at the Trillium distance.

The win gave the filly, co-owned by Colebrook Farms and Bear Stables, a lifetime record of three wins, six seconds, and one third from 12 starts.

Brnjas is feeling good heading into Sunday's tilt, one that has drawn some notable names in multiple stakes winner Dixie Moon, 2018 La Prevoyante Stakes champ She's The Berries, and last year's Grade 3 Selene Stakes winner Miss Mo Mentum.

"We're in good order," said Brnjas. "There are a lot of nice horses in this race, but I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I feel very privileged to train this horse."

Bred by Brnjas' father, John, the man behind Colebrook Farms, Bear Paw posted a record of 2-5-1 in 10 starts last season, her first campaign at the races.

One of those victories came in the Classy `n Smart Stakes on September 30.

Fourth at the stretch call in the 1 1/16-mile main track feature, Bear Paw split foes and earned a hard-fought head win, paying $12 for the milestone (first stakes victory) moment.

The idea of a triumph in the Trillium gave Brnjas pause for thought. It also prompted her to offer up an NBA comparison.

"On race day, Bear Paw's all business. That's when she puts her Jurassic Park game-face on. I've become a Toronto Raptors fan because of my husband. So if I had to pick one player on the team she reminds me of, it would be (Toronto guard) Kyle Lowry. They both go out there and get it done."

Last year, jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva teamed with Gamble's Ghost to take the Trillium, paying $9.30 for the win.

The Trillium is Race 8 on Sunday's 10-race card. First post time is 1:05 p.m.