Bill and Vicki Poston’s Ol’ Fashion Gal put in a determined drive to stay off the rallying favourite Don’t Leave Me and capture Sunday’s $154,800 Grade 3 Selene Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse, the Sky Mesa chestnut arrived at the 1 1/16-miles tilt for sophomore fillies from three consecutive efforts in Grade 3 races including a win in the grassy Jimmy Durante Stakes on November 29 to complete her juvenile campaign.
Casse also sent out Watch This Cat and Season Ticket in the Selene with the former setting splits of :24.32 and :48.59 with Ol’ Fashion Gal stalking her early foot from second position.
Watch This Cat maintained her lead through the final turn as Don’t Leave Me, recent winner of the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park, launched her run from the back of the seven-horse field.
Ol’ Fashion Gal struck the front near the top of the lane and then dueled with, and put away, a surging Leading Edge, leaving just enough in the tank to hold off Don’t Leave Me for a head score. Ol’ Fashion Gal, making her synthetic surface debut, covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.73.
It was the third stakes win of the meet for Garcia, having previously captured the Grade 3 Whimsical with Unspurned and the Fury with potential Woodbine Oaks favourite London Tower.
Garcia was pleased with his prominent trip in the Selene.
“She broke well and I wanted to be close to the pace,” said Garcia. “It worked out good, my filly was trying all the way.”
Garcia is in the midst of his first full season at Woodbine and his 22 wins for the meet is good for third in the standings behind current leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva.
“Mark gave me a lot of opportunities here (in the past), and I’m thankful for this opportunity (with Ol’ Fashion Gal),” said Garcia. “I’m enjoying Woodbine. It’s a great place to be.”
Ol’ Fashion Gal, bred in Kentucky by John C. Oxley, banked $90,000 while improving her record to three wins from six starts.
She paid $14.20, $5.60 and $3.50, combining with Don’t Leave Me ($3.10, $2.30) for a $39.70 (4-6) exactor. A 4-6-8 triactor (Leading Edge, $3.10 to show) was worth $125.50, while a $1 Superfecta [4-6-8-7 (Season Ticket)] came back $137.25. Green Doctor and Starless Night were scratched.
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