2017 Ontario Matron Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com – The G3 Ontario Matron Stakes comes our way this Saturday, July 22 from Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Woodbine’s All Weather Track and go 1 1/16 miles for the winner’s portion of the $125,000 purse.

A field of 10 will give it a go in the Ontario Matron Stakes – race 8 on Woodbine’s Saturday card. Post time is 4:47 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all 10 entries for this intriguing G3 stakes.

2017 Ontario Matron Stakes Entries at Woodbine Racetrack

Minks Aprise 2-1

Defending seventh place finisher in this race has six wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 18 career starts for trainer Roger Attfield. She made her graded stakes debut last April and finished an OK fourth in the G2 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos. It followed a win by 2 1/4 lengths in the minor Camilla Urso Stakes at Golden Gate March 19. Mikes Aprise has been decent lately – a win last time out in the minor Trillium Stakes here June 18 followed a respectable second in the G3 Hendrie Stakes on this track June 4 and a third in the G2 Bessarabian Stakes here back on November 19. Before that was a fourth in the G3 Maple Leaf Stakes here November 5, a good win in the minor H.B.P.A Stakes at Presque Isle Downs October 6 and a third in the minor Steve Pini Memorial at Suffolk Downs September 3. She has quietly placed in five of her last six starts overall and will chase a first graded stakes score from the outside gate 10 with Rafael Manuel Hernandez in the reins of the morning line favorite.

Ami’s Mesa 7-2

Has just six career starts for trainer Josie Carroll with three wins and a second-place finish. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score here June 30 which followed an ugly ninth in the minor South Beach Stakes at Gulfstream December 17, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming here November 11 and a fifth in her only graded stakes action to date – the G3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream in January, 2016. Before that was a good win in the minor Glorious Song Stakes on this track in November, 2015. Ami’s Mesa has three wins and a runner-up finish in four starts on this track and hopes to parlay her success here into her first graded stakes score. Luis Contreras will be in the reins of the second betting choice.

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Ice Festival 9-2

Has placed in 16 of 23 career starts for trainer Sid Attard – four wins, eight seconds and four third place finishes. She ended 2016 with two nice wins on this track – the best of which coming in the G3 Maple Leaf Stakes in November and has been decent since. Last time out was a second in the minor Trillium Stakes here June 18 after a third in an Allowance on this track and a fifth in the minor Sand Springs Stakes at Gulfstream in March. Ice Festival has placed in six of her last seven starts with three wins over that span – in decent form ahead of this weekend. David Moran gets the call from the rail.

Uchenna 6-1

Mark Casse trained mare won this race in 2015 but has just five wins, a second and a third-place finish in 26 career starts. Last time out was a distant seventh in the G2 Dance Smartly Stakes here July 2 which followed a fourth in the minor Trillium Stakes on this track June 18, a second in an Allowance here May 20, a fourth in the minor Blushing KD Stakes at Fair Grounds in December and an eighth in the G3 Maple Leaf Stakes on this track in November. Before that was a win in the minor Belle Mahone Stakes here in September and an OK third in the G3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park last July. Uchenna has been OK in her career so far but has failed to hit the board in four of her last five starts overall. Patrick Husbands is trusted with changing Uchenna’s fortunes around from post 9 Saturday from post 9.

Hot Kiss 8-1

Defending fourth place finisher in this race has seven wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 20 career starts – all a Woodbine. She finished a decent second in the G3 Maple Leaf Stakes in November but has struggled since. Last time out was a fifth in the Trillium Stakes June 18 after a fourth in an Allowance May 20 and a seventh in the minor Sir Barton Stakes November 26. Her best career result came in June/2016 when she won the minor Trillium Stakes during a stretch of five straight victories. Hot Kiss has shown form in the past and hopes to claim a first graded stakes score in her third try when she leaves from post 3 with Eurico Rosa Da Silva guiding her.

Rattataptap 15-1

Bill Mott trained mare has 16 career starts with four wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. Last time out was a fifth in the minor Ellis Park Turf Stakes July 8 which followed a sixth in the G3 Hendrie Stakes here June 4, a seventh in the minor Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct April 15, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Tampa Bay February 16 and 10 months away. Before the layoff was a fifth in the G1 La Brea Stakes in December, 2015, an Allowance Optional Claiming score by 4 1/2 lengths at Del Mar October 21, 2015, a second in a similar race, a respectable third in the 2015 G3 Torrey Pines Stakes and consecutive off-the-board finishes in graded stakes action in the summer of 2015. Rattataptap has failed to place in her last three starts overall and searches for a first ever stakes score from post 5. Jesse Campbell rides.

Meadow Rose 20-1

Nicholas Gonzalez trained filly has 10 career starts with two wins and four second place finishes. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday on the heels of consecutive runner-up finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races with the last coming on this track June 9. Before that was a fourth and another second in a pair of similar races to start 2017 and an Allowance score here in October. Meadow Rose has been OK against lesser competition and hopes it finally translates in her major step up in competition. Emma-Jayne Wilson is scheduled to ride from gate 8.

Midnight Crossing 20-1

Irish bred Roger Attfield trainee has just two wins and two runner-up finishes in her 13 career starts. She failed to place in her last four starts at home and has failed to hit the board in her three North American starts. Last time out was a seventh in the minor Trillium Stakes here June 18 after an Allowance score on this track May 14 and an eighth in an Allowance at Keeneland in April. Midnight Crossing hasn’t been all that impressive but searches for a breakthrough performance from gate 6 Saturday. Alan Garcia gets the call.

Galina Point 20-1

Defending fifth place finisher in this race has four wins, nine seconds and two third place finishes in 25 career starts – all at Woodbine. In spring/2016 she posted a pair of respectable runner-up finishes – the G3 Whimsical Stakes and the G3 Hendrie Stakes but has mostly been underwhelming since. Last time out was a seventh in the minor Ballade Stakes May 14 after a fourth in the G3 Whimsical Stakes April 23, a sixth in the minor River Memories Stakes November 5 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in October. Galina Point shoots for a first stakes score but enters in less-than-spectacular form. Patrick Husbands will be in the saddle from gate 4.

Moonlit Promise 20-1

Lightly raced Josie Carroll trained filly has three wins and two second place finishes in her six career starts – all on this track. Last time out was a rather unsuccessful graded stakes debut – a sixth in the G3 Maple Leaf Stakes which followed a nice win in the minor La Lorgnette Stakes in September, a second in the minor Duchess Stakes August 7 and two straight wins – the best of which coming in an Allowance Optional Claiming last July. Moonlit Promise has been OK so far in her career and hopes to improve on her graded stakes bow when she departs from gate 2 with Gary Boulanger aboard.

2017 Ontario Matron Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Woodbine’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:47 PM.