Monday, November 14, 2011

Tu Endie Wei terriffic in Glorious Song score

TORONTO, November 13 - Brereton C. Jones' Tu Endie Wei returned to the winner’s circle in impressive fashion, capturing Sunday's $152,100 Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.

The daughter of Johar-Ms. Cornstalk, who is a half sister to 2010 Canadian Horse of the Year Biofuel, came into the seven furlong 'Polytrack' event off a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. The Reade Baker trainee, who started her career with back-to-back stakes scores in the My Dear and Ontario Debutante at Woodbine, improved on her early promise in Sunday's event with a front-running effort embellished with an impressive turn of foot through the stretch.


Tu Endie Wei broke sharply under jockey Jim McAleney notching a quarter in :22.61 and a half in :45.41 while under pressure from a rail-riding Galan's Wings, and Las Malvegas, who tracked from just off Tu Endie Wei's right flank. Tu Endie Wei turned for home with a three-length lead, with Miss Scarlett Road looming into contention, but McAleney asked his filly for more and she responded with a sharp burst of speed, opening up to win by four and three-quarter lengths. Sweet Seventeen was up for place, half a length in front of a quick-closing Runfor Ro. The final running time was 1:21.97.

McAleney, who noted that the filly had trouble in the starting gate in the Alcibiades, was content with his filly's start in the Glorious Song.

"She was a little bit hesitant, but a ton better," said McAleney. "Reade (Baker) has done a great job with this filly. She was much more calm, much more composed, and it made all the difference today."

The jockey is hopeful the speedy bay filly will be able to relax a little more as she matures.

"Ideally, we'd like to get her to settle down and get her off the pace," said McAleney. "Right now, she's a very forward, very talented filly and that put her where she was today. Once we got to the five-eighths, the half, we had the position we had and I had so much horse, it was just a matter of nursing her along. if you look closely, you can see her ears pricked and she's just loping."

Tu Endie Wei completes her juvenile campaign with a record of three wins, all in added-money events, from four starts.

She paid $3.90, $2.80 and $2.60, combining with Sweet Seventeen ($6.20, $5.60) for a $26.90 exactor. Runfor Ro ($4.90) completed a $145.90 triactor.