BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Live Oak Plantation homebred Souper Zonda will use a last out optional claiming victory as a springboard into Saturday’s CA$125,000 Ontario Damsel, a mile-and-a-sixteenth contest on the synthetic course at Woodbine. Eight 3-year-old fillies are entered with the Mark Casse-trained Souper Zonda making just her second start of the year.
Souper Zonda was a debut winner last year at Gulfstream Park, taking a maiden special weight for fillies going seven-and-a-half furlongs on the turf in July. She then disappointed when out of the money in the $85,000 Hallandale Beach going a mile on the main track in September before finishing her freshman campaign running sixth and last in a non-winners of two lifetime, $75,000 optional claiming on the synthetic on Oct. 5.
The chestnut daughter of Curlin was successful in her return on Aug. 2 at Woodbine, winning a non-winners of two lifetime, $50,000 optional claiming by a length going a mile on the grass.
She is out of Zonda, by Scat Daddy and has earned $74,436 in her four career starts.
Patrick Husbands, who was aboard last time, will again ride. Souper Zonda has post five and is 8-1 on the morning line.
Will Then, a winner of the $98,000 China Doll at Santa Anita Park in March, makes the trek to Woodbine for trainer Jonathan Thomas and owner Augustin Stable.
The bay daughter of War of Will has kept good company in three starts since, including in her last race on Aug. 16 when fifth, beaten just a length-and-three-quarters by winner Velocity in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks going nine furlongs on the grass. She was also fifth in the Grade 2 Edgewood on the Churchill Downs grass on May 2 and third in the Grade 2 San Clemente at Santa Anita on July 19.
Will Then has earned $200,271 from three wins and a third in seven starts and will break from post six with jockey Ben Curtis. They are the morning line favorites at 5-2.
Rounding out the field are Shotgun Wedding with Keveh Nicholls riding, Pietro Moran takes the call on No Time, Rafael Manuel Hernandez will be up on Salt, Madame Obey will have Fraser Aebly in the saddle, Sahin Civaci will guide Cue the Duckboats and Tiz Her Money will have Ryan Munger in the irons.
Return to the October 10 issue of Wire to Wire
