Horse racing: Holy Helena posts impressive win in Woodbine Oaks

Holy Helena made a very compelling case Sunday to take a shot at the $1-million Queen’s Plate.

The Stronach Stables filly posted an impressive win in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks at Woodbine Racetrack. In fact, Holy Helena posted a better time than 20/1 longshot Guy Caballero did in capturing the $125,000 Plate Trial earlier on Sunday’s card.

Both races were over 11⁄8 miles on Woodbine’s Tapeta track.

“If she comes out all right we might think about it,” said winning owner Frank Stronach. “The key for us will be how she behaves over the next three days. “We’ll take a look.” The Queen’s Plate, the first jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown and the country’s most prestigious horse race, will cover 11⁄4 miles July 2 at Woodbine. The last filly to win the event was Lexie Lou in 2014 after she captured the Oaks, the opening event of the Canadian Triple Tiara.

Lexie Lou went on to become Canada’s top horse that year.

Jockey Luis Contreras had Holy Helena sitting third on the final turn behind Enstone and Mythical Mission. But coming home, Holy Helena was running so strong and confidently that the only question was what her winning margin would be.

“The filly really helped me,” Contreras said. “When we went outside, she gave me everything she had.”

Holy Helena, a 6-1 shot, finished a length ahead of Mythical Mission, another 6-1 choice. Inflexibility, the 5/2 favourite, took third in the 12horse field in a photo finish with Enstone.

Holy Helena paid $14, $7.10 and $4.90. Mythical Mission returned $8 and $4.60 while Inflexibility paid $3.60.

Holy Helena has two wins and a second-place finish in her three career outings, all coming this year. While Stronach was noncommittal regarding the Plate, Mythical Mission’s trainer Malcolm Pierce said his horse definitely won’t be running in the race.

“We’re not even nominated (for Plate),” he said. “I think the Plate picture just got more muddled today with the Plate Trial being won by a 20-1 shot.

“If we run anybody in the Plate, it would be Malibu Secret.”

Guy Caballero came on in the deep stretch to earn the stunning Plate Trial win. Jockey Rafael Hernandez rallied his horse to overtake evenmoney favourite State of Honor and earn a half-length win in 1:51.32.

“In the turn I made sure he got a clear trip and then give everything he can in the stretch,” Hernandez said. “He showed up today.”

King and His Court was second in the six-horse field, followed by State of Honor in the Queen’s Plate prep event.