Irish Mission posted her second career win in the Woodbine Oaks
Owner Robert S. Evans won his fourth Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser through the3-year-old filly, Irish Mission, who along with Alex Solis ran a big race at the end of the race to edge past her rivals and win the $480,634 event.
Trained by Mark R. Frostad, Irish Mission tried to break her maiden through the course of two seasons, but her breakthrough race came at Keeneland’s turf course on 26 April, 2012, when she downed Summer Girl in the stretch to win the 1 1/16 mile event in 1 minute and 57.65 seconds, as Aunt Part finished third on the day.
The 3-year-old Giant’s Causeway filly brought the winning momentum in to the Woodbine Oaks, and for the first time under jockey Alex Solis – who moved to Toronto on permanent basis at Woodbine Race Course – won the 1 1/8 mile event, half-second short of breaking the Woodbine poly track record in 1 minute and 50.50 seconds.
The imposing filly was sent as the 9 to 1 choice, and Alex Solis always had her in a good position as, Black Bird Rock went out to set the pace.
In a field of 9 Ontario bred 3-year-old fillies, Black Bird Rock ahead of the 41 to 1 shot, Horseshoe Hill, carved pedestrian fractions of 25.11 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 49.79 seconds for the half mile, and 1 minute and 13.10 seconds for the six furlong marker.
Turning into the homestretch, Black Bird Rock under jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva maintained the lead, reeling in fast approaching a trio of fillies, including Irish Mission, Awesome Fire and Dixie Strike, but the awesome Irish Mission had more than enough to give in the stretch.
She proved it as she edged past Northern Passion, and downed her by three quarter of a length in the final stages of the race.
“The way she ran, she had high motion speed, and she could stay the distance," said Solis, who has been aboard the winner a couple of times before. "We had in mind to keep it close to the pace and soon as we hit the turn, she kept going. She showed determination. The more that I asked her, the more she gave.”
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