The main event of Sunday’s final race day for the 2025 Woodbine Thoroughbred season in Toronto, Canada, is the $100,000 Steady Growth Stakes. This 1 1/16-mile race on the main track is open to Ontario-bred horses aged three and older.
One contender to watch is Awesome Bourbon, a 5-year-old son of Not Bourbon Out of the Sea Stars’ mare Sea the Awesome, owned by Carlo D’Amato and trained by Abraham Katrian. He aims to secure his fifth victory of the season and earn his first stakes win.
Awesome Bourbon recently competed in the Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) on November 15th, marking his fifth stakes race. Despite encountering trouble near the furlong marker and faltering in the stretch, he rallied to finish second, just shy of the winner by less than a length. Katrian praised Awesome Bourbon’s determination, noting the horse’s unexpected strong performance despite a preference for turf over Tapeta surfaces.
Produced in Kentucky by Charles Fipke, Awesome Bourbon broke his maiden at Woodbine on August 14, 2022, winning a six-furlong race by 1 3/4 lengths. He has steadily improved since, placing third in the Bull Page Stakes and showing consistent form in past seasons’ Overskate Stakes. This year, he impressively secured three consecutive wins on Woodbine’s inner turf between August and September.
With 10 starts so far this season, Awesome Bourbon boasts 4 wins and 2 second-place finishes. Trainer Katrian, a seasoned professional with 671 career wins including 31 at stakes level, described Awesome Bourbon as a highly competitive and versatile racehorse capable of leading or staying off the pace.
Last racing on December 5, Awesome Bourbon completed four furlongs in 49.80 seconds and is building well toward this upcoming stakes challenge. Katrian, who previously won the Steady Growth Stakes in 2000 and 2002, expressed confidence in the horse’s condition and readiness.
Awesome Bourbon’s career record includes 6 wins, 7 seconds, and 3 thirds in 21 starts, earning $304,944 in prize money. He was purchased for $27,000 at the 2024 OBS Winter Mix Sale. The field also includes notable horses such as graded stakes winner Cruden Bay, multiple stakes winners No More Option, Rapid Test, Souped Up, and Huntmaster, as well as others like Jaguar’s Gotagun, Paramount Prince, and Rakkaza.
The Steady Growth Stakes honors the 1979 Queen’s Plate winner Steady Growth, a son of Briartic out of Clerita, who was also the sire of Canadian Champion Steady Power. The race card featuring 12 races begins at 1:05 p.m., with wagering available through HPIbet.com and bet365, offering a variety of betting options including Rolling Double, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, and Pick 3.
Fans can anticipate the mandatory Jackpot Hi-5 payout on Saturday, with a current carryover of $269,656.92. Note that wagering is suspended on Thursdays and Fridays before the payout mandate.
Steady Growth Stakes Field (Race 10):
1 – Cruden Bay (S) – Fraser Avery – Don McRae
2 – Awesome Bourbon – Pietro Moran – Abraham Katrian
3 – No More Option – Leo Room – Cross Zericho
4 – Jaguars Gotagun – Zarrell Ford – Gail Hughes
5 – Rapid Test – Austin Adams – Katherine Day Phillips
6 – Souped Up – Rafael Hernandez – Ron Sadler
7 – Huntmaster – Geoffrey Alderson – Martin Hinkson
8 – Paramount Prince – Ryan Munger – Mark Cass
9 – Luck Makaza – Daisuke Fukumoto – Julia Carey
Fan Take: This event is a thrilling showcase for Ontario-bred talent, highlighting horses like Awesome Bourbon who exemplify resilience and competitive spirit. For horse racing fans, it signals exciting opportunities for emerging stars to make their mark in the sport’s rich regional history.
