Special win on several levels

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Stacey Van Camp’s $8,000 yearling buy El Bayern gave her and her partner, trainer Mike Mattine, quite a thrill last Sunday when she came from left field to land her debut in the $250,800 Muskoka Stakes at Woodbine.

Van Camp said the victory was especially sweet because Sheena Ryan rode El Bayern after coming out of retirement this year. Ryan had success for Van Camp in the past, riding her allowance horse Stormfuhr in his victorious debut in 2017, and winning on Strut and Stomp and Uncatchable Fire. Ryan left the track last fall to pursue a career in yoga.

“Sheena and I go back,” Van

Camp said. “I did really well with her. I always said I wanted to win a stakes race with her. I always felt she tried and she was honest.”

Ryan thought the filly would be good enough to place in the 6 1/2-furlong Muskoka, for graduates of local yearling sales, and the rest is history. After breaking outward from post 10, Ryan angled her over to the rail on the backstretch and they mounted a wide rally to prevail with a 52 Beyer Figure.

“I watched the race over and over, and I just cannot believe she ran the way she did,” Van Camp said. “And the way she galloped out. Her ears were perked the whole way. It looked like she had a real good time out there.”

Van Camp said El Bayern caught her eye at the Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency consignment at the 2019 Canadian premier yearling sale.

“She just looked the part,” Van Camp said. “I loved her walk, and she just looked sassy and cute. Mike will tell you she doesn’t have the best conformation.”

El Bayern exited the Muskoka in good shape, according to Mattine, who was unsure of the next start for the daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern. The next stakes for Canadian-bred juvenile fillies at Woodbine is the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth going 1 1/16 miles on Oct 31.

El Bayern wasn’t the only live runner among the four Sunday yearling sales stakes for Mattine and Van Camp.

Bambarra Bay finished third in the seven-furlong Algoma, and Lakeside Park was fourth in the seven-furlong Elgin. Both earned a career-high 74 Beyer under Ryan.

“Bambarra Bay is better going two turns,” Mattine said. “I want to try her long on the grass.”

◗ Trainer Randy Thompson notched his first stakes win in the Algoma with the speedy Marjorie’s Dream, who’s suddenly one of the fastest 3-year-old fillies on the grounds. After graduating in her third start by eight lengths with an 84 Beyer, Marjorie’s Dream barely held on to win the Algoma with an 81 Beyer.