Speightstown’s 5-year-old daughter Southern Ring broke sharply and fended off a late challenge to win Sunday’s $150,000 Whimsical S. at Woodbine.
The Sam-Son Farm homebred now has three stakes wins on her resume, including the Ontario Fashion S. (G3).
Coming out of the gate and going to the front, Southern Ring was under stiff pressure from Skylander Girl. The duo went through the first half-mile in a quick :45.77. Southern Ring began to edge away for her foe in the stretch. A quartet of pursuers came running late, but could get no closer than a length.
The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.70 on the synthetic surface.
“We love to see her in a stalking position because she relaxes a lot when she has a horse to look at,” rider Eurico da Silva said. “But she broke very sharp today. She was very, very relaxed. When I needed her, I had lots in the tank.”
Southern Ring is 5-2-1 in her 10 starts and has banked $327.799.
Speightstown already has a double-digit number of stakes horses in 2017 and is nearing 80 lifetime stakes winners, with lifetime progeny earnings topping $76 million.
