Classic Mo Town, claimed for $25,000 last year at Gulfstream Park, scored his first graded victory in the $129,148 Eclipse Stakes (G2) May 31 at Woodbine. The win gave owner Bruno Schickedanz, trainer Martin Drexler, and jockey Eswan Flores two graded triumphs on the card.
The 5-year-old gelded son of Mo Town rated in sixth place early in the 1 1/16-mile race on the Canadian track's all-weather surface. Flores asked him for run midway on the far turn and he soon had the pacesetter Get Smokin in his sights.
Classic Mo Town hit the lead at the sixteenth pole and hung on to win by three-quarters of a length over a late-rallying Webslinger. Favored Get Smokin, another 2 1/4 lengths back, hung on for third.
The winner's final time was 1:42.97 over the track rated fast.
"He's such a nice horse. He's so easy to get along with," Flores said. "Marty had him so ready today, it was just a press button."
Drexler, who started three of the field's eight runners, said Classic Mo Town has been good since the day he was claimed, never missing a check in 11 starts for Schickedanz. He paid $20.10 to win.
"He's always been a hard-knockin' type of horse," Drexler said. "I figure he was in good order coming in. We ran a few in there, and he ended up with the best trip."
Mo Town, a grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo, stands at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., for a fee of $5,000 in 2025.
Video: bet365 Eclipse S. (G2)
Old Chestnut Wins Three-Horse Cartier
The field for the $113,537 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) was lowered to three with the scratch of 2024 Canadian Horse of the Year Patches O'Houlihan, and Old Chestnut took advantage, leading all the way to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
It was the first graded win for the 8-year-old gelded son of Speightstown. Owned by Schickedanz, trained by Drexler, and ridden by Flores, he stopped the timer for six furlongs over the all-weather track in 1:08.17. He paid $9.50 to win as the longest shot on the board.
Video: Jacques Cartier S. (G3)
Ms. Tart Upsets RoYal North at 70-1
Ms. Tart, a 4-year-old filly by third-crop sire Maximus Mischief , rallied from last place in a field of 10 to win the $112,298 Royal North Stakes (G3T).
As the longest shot on the board, she paid $143.30 to win while stopping the timer for 6 1/2 furlongs on a turf course rated good in 1:15.56. Nathan McCauley's River Oak Farm claimed Ms. Tart for $35,000 Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park.
Kevin Rice trained the winner, who has two allowance victories, a graded stakes placing, and now a graded win in five starts since being acquired.
Video: HPIbet Royal North S. (G3T)
Caitlinhergrtness back in Winner's Circle
WinStar Farm's Caitlinhergrtness, the filly who won the 2024 King's Plate Stakes and was named Canada's champion 3-year-old filly, won her 2025 debut in dominant fashion, taking the $123,143 Belle Mahone Stakes (G3) by five lengths.
The 4-year-old Omaha Beach filly, trained by Kevin Attard and ridden by Rafael Hernandez, stalked the pace and split rivals at the quarter pole before drawing away as much the best. She ran 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather in 1:42.26.
