Apr 26, 2025 – To kick off its 2025 racing season, it seemed apropos that Canuck Racing Club would take an early shot to score with a horse named after Christine Sinclair, Canada’s best soccer player ever. Sired by the late Souper Speedy out of Heres Mud Inyr Eye, the club’s Ontario-bred, 4-year-old filly Sinclairity shared the story line of her return to the track with her jockey. Woodbine’s opening day also marked young Pietro Moran’s return to action after extended leave warranted by a major fall last season at the Fort Erie race track which resulted in significant injuries and lacerations that required surgery. While being back on track must certainly have been its own reward, both nonetheless stepped onto it with something to prove.
Handicappers generally saw Sinclairity as the class of the 8-horse field in race 9 which closed out Saturday’s card. However, she started her training later than some of her rivals, going up against several winter-raced horses with less experience than most of her foes. She entered her second career race against a veteran of 15 starts and known quantity Onejabtoomany making her seventh start (1-2-0 in six races) under Rafi Hernandez.
Despite the disadvantage of having to start from the #7 outside gate in a 5-furlong sprint race, Sinclairity broke solidly under Moran and quickly powered her way into the front third of the pack along with Kitty’sSpeedyStarr and Ondine Lady who set a quick pace early. The latter moved in close up to Sinclairity through the final turn and poked her head in front briefly after bumping the favourite who answered by regaining the lead.
Surrounded in the backstretch by three rivals coming at her hard on all sides, Sinclairity did not shrink, channelling her namesake to battle willingly and provide a strong kick when asked by Pietro Moran with five sixteenths to go. Duelling at the top of the lane, Sinclairity edged away for a clearer lead at the eighth while those tailing her failed to match strides.
Outside of that 4-horse battle however was Rafael Hernandez who wound Onejabtoomany up nicely in an unhindered, unchecked charge through his clear path on the outside. While SInclairity‘s challengers wilted, the late closer gobbled up ground but Sinclairity gamely kept the gas down under a patient ride by Moran. Holding off the charge for the narrow win, the Canuck Racing Club filly left the track undefeated.
While not yet fully race fit, Sinclairity‘s trainer Kevin Attard, hot off of his Sovereign Award win as Canada’s Outstanding Trainer, felt she had showed enough in training to merit the start. The game filly proved him right to give Attard his second win of the day.
“Sinclairity came ready to battle”, shared Pietro Moran immediately after the closely fought race. “They came at her pretty hard and she just dug in. She refused to lose.”