Lupa (IRE) showcased her natural speed and thrived on the return to synthetic surface to lead a small field and capture the $175,000 HPIbet Ontario Matron Stakes (G3) at Woodbine on Saturday. Under jockey Fraser Aebly, the lightly raced 4-year-old filly by Lope de Vega (IRE) overcame a slight bump from Hurricane Clair at the start, quickly took control along the rail, and maintained her lead throughout the race.
After scratches of Speedy Freeze and Queen Azteca reduced the field to five, Lupa set a brisk pace with an opening quarter in :23.20. Serendipity tracked her in second place, with favorite Fantastical in third, followed by Hurricane Clair and War Painter at the back. Lupa maintained her advantage through the half-mile mark in :46.83. Midway through the turn, Fantastical, fresh off a Grade 3 Trillium Stakes win, challenged aggressively, running six furlongs in 1:11.37.
Navigating the stretch while saving ground, Lupa powered home to win decisively by 3 1/4 lengths with a final time of 1:43.38. The favorite Fantastical finished second, longshot War Painter took third, and Hurricane Clair placed fourth.
This victory allowed trainer Josie Carroll’s Lupa to reverse the outcome against Fantastical, who had narrowly beaten her in the Trillium Stakes on July 25 at the same venue. Owned by Mark Dodson, Lupa had shown her speed recently in the Canadian Stakes (G2) on Woodbine’s turf, leading most of the race before settling for third.
A delighted Aebly, who has ridden Lupa in all eight career starts, praised her heart and tenacity. “She’s a little quirky to ride, but she gives it her all every time. Josie and her team do an incredible job with her, and she’s a joy to ride when she runs,” said the jockey.
Making just her fourth race after a break, Lupa had shown promise with close finishes in the Trillium and Canadian Stakes prior to this graded stakes breakthrough. Carroll credited her team’s efforts for Lupa’s growth, especially citing exercise rider Taylor Chapman for helping to calm and train the filly daily.
“This win is truly rewarding. Lupa is very talented, and I have to thank my whole crew, especially Taylor, who has taught her some manners, and it’s paying off,” Carroll said. “Today, she looked especially strong on the synthetic surface. She’s versatile, but clearly favors this track type.”
Bred in Ireland by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, Lupa went off at 4-1 despite a 2-1 morning line. Her victory paid $10.50 to win, marking her third synthetic track win and third in four attempts at this distance. With this stakes triumph, Lupa’s record stands at four wins, one second, and one third from nine starts.
This report originally appeared on September 13, 2026, in the News section of Paulick Report.
Fan Take:
Lupa’s dominant performance on synthetic underlines how surface preference can shape a horse’s career, highlighting the importance of versatile training and race planning. For horse racing fans, her rise signals exciting potential for new stars capable of competing across different track surfaces, injecting fresh energy into the sport’s competitive landscape.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
