Literate Runs Down Caitlinhergrtness in Trillium Stakes

Literate turned the tables on heavily favored Caitlinhergrtness, running down last year's Canadian champion 3-year-old filly for her first graded stakes victory in the $116,256 Trillium Stakes (G3) July 26 at Woodbine. Trained by Martin Drexler for C2 Racing Stable, Literate, fourth last time out to Caitlinhergrtness in the May 31 Belle Mahone Stakes (G3), needed every bit of Woodbine's long stretch to push by the 3-5 favorite. Racing well off the early pace of :24.10 and :47.51, set by Literate's stablemate Veery, the Oscar Performance mare unwound turning for home and closed relentlessly under jockey Sahin Civaci as Caitlinhergrtness appeared poised for another stakes win. Collaring the 2024 King's Plate Stakes heroine in the shadow of the wire, Literate ($9.90) finished a half-length in front in a final time of 1:43.23 for the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather surface. "I figured that she's going to come running," Drexler said. "As it turned out, we saved ground all the way around there, so it actually was a great trip. "She's coming to this race training even better than she did the last time. Not to take away from Kevin's (trainer, Attard) horse (Caitlinhergrtness), she's a great filly, but I really do think this is a good horse." Caitlinhergrtness was second over barnmate Fashionably Fab, giving Attard a 2-3 finish. Literate, a $27,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase in 2021, is the second stakes winner produced by the Henrythenavigator mare Infanta Branca, the dam of 2020 Chelsey Flower Stakes victress Ingrassia (Medaglia d'Oro). Candy Quest Rolls Late for Ontario Colleen Score Three races after guiding Literate to the winner's circle, Civaci notched another Saturday stakes win with Glassman Racing's Candy Quest in the $109,469 Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3T). In similar fashion to Literate, Candy Quest and Civaci devoured ground late for a rallying score in the one-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies. The consistent daughter of Connect, multiple stakes-placed in the United States, captured her Canadian debut by 1 3/4 lengths. She stopped the clock in 1:33.51 over a firm turf course. "I got on the horse in the morning," said Civaci, who notched his 700th lifetime win earlier on the card. "I liked her, and we had an easy, comfortable trip, and then everything opened up, and she kicked on. "She was in full run, so I didn't have to encourage her more. She was doing it herself." U.S. shippers completed the trifecta in the Ontario Colleen. Candy Quest ($7.60), trained by Mark Casse, finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of 16-1 shot Somethinabouther in second. It Ain't Two (GB), the race leader for most of the journey with a two-length advantage at midstretch, was nosed out for third. One of four winners for her Candy Ride (ARG) dam, Candy Crush, Candy Quest is a half sibling to former Casse trainee Frosted Over (Frosted), the 2021 Sovereign Award champion 3-year-old male, and graded stakes-placed Will Take Charge mare Take a Stand.