Northern Passion comes off the pace to win the Natalma Stakes at Woodbine
The 2-year-old filly, Northern Passion, who came second in the Ontario Debutante in her last start, rectified things when she rallied last and ran down her foes to win the Grade 3 $235,100 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on 17 September, 2011.
The daughter of First Samurai, out of A Touch Of Glory by Golden Gear, Northern Passion was under Luis Contreras, and the pair defeated Dayatthespa by 1 ¼ lengths to earn a spot in the $1 million Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on 4 November,
2011, at Churchill Downs.
The Ontario bred filly, Northern Passion was coming off a runner up display in the Ontario Debutante just behind the winner Tu Endie Wei on Poly Track, with the winning time of 1 minute and 16.53 seconds for 6 furlongs on 13 August, 2011.
Trained by Mark Casse, who went on to win the Natalma Stakes for the third time, sent Northern Passion who was making her debut on turf.
Jockey Luis Contreras kept Northern Passion off the pace, who was running over a mile for the first time, as she raced in last through a half mile.
The pace setter, Quality Lass got in to the lead and made brisk fractions of 23.37 seconds for the quarter mile pole and 46.50 seconds for the half mile marker.
Tracking Quality Lass was Dayatthespa under jockey Ramon Dominguez, who persistently kept a neutral pace, saving her run for the last.
Quality Lass flattened out, when she came off the turn, and that is when Dayatthespa took advantage and led the field for the first time by a length.
Meanwhile, Northern Passion initiated her glory run as she split horses to go down toward the rail to challenge Dayatthespa, who was going well in upper stretch.
The late charge paid dividends, as Northern Passion built up momentum to outlast Dayatthespa crossing the sixteenth pole, and never looked back downing her rival by 1 ¼ lengths to win the Natalma Stakes.
Northern Passion broke her maiden at Woodbine, over a distance of 5 ½ furlongs, on Woodbine’s Poly Track under Luis Contreras. The pair covered the distance in 1 minute and 4.12 seconds on 9 July, 2011.
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