June 7, 2024 – Canuck Racing Club’s filly War Painter earned her billing as a hot favourite coming into the second race of her 3-year-old campaign at Woodbine on Thursday. While finishing second by less than a dirty headbob in her 2024 debut on May 4th brought her into this contest as prediction of choice for bettors, handicappers anticipated a battle between War Painter and big 5-year-old filly Now is a Breeze who was making her fifteenth start under Woodbine’s current winningest jockey Sophia Vives.
The 1 1/16 mile contest started with a fairly even break from the gate after which Now is a Breeze willingly took the lead early. With a long way to go, jockey Kazushi Kimura settled War Painter into the third spot by the first turn and the pair did not challenge the leader until midway through the second turn, moving up and into range of the frontrunner. At 110 yards out, War Painter was gaining with each stride on the bigger filly who was braced for the challenge. Under a very vigorous ride, War Painter wore down her rival in the deep stretch and caught her just before the wire to win by half a length.
The first-ever winner by Danish Dynaformer, War Painter improved her record to 2 wins, 3 seconds, and a third place in seven starts.