Blueberry Blonde gets first ever Hazel Wright

As a lover of horse racing and the art of breeding horses, the late Hazel Wright was smiling down on Assiniboia Downs as the best 3-year-old fillies bred in the province took centre stage on Sunday. And just as fitting all the winning connections of the winner belonged to the fairer sex.

Dr. Betty Hughes’ Blueberry Blonde, ridden by Janine Stianson and trained by Lorna Gray, became the first ever winner of the Hazel Wright Sire Stakes. After a quick start Blueberry Blonde settled in at the back of the pack as Gem Drop took the early lead down the backstretch.

The favourite, Bella Mariella, trained by Marty Drexler, was the first to move in the middle of the turn going three wide to pass the early leaders Gem Drop and Friends Road. Right on her flank was Blueberry Blonde and the two fillies battled down the lane until Blueberry Blonde finally got the advantage in late stretch.

“You never know if you can get by Al,” said Stianson referring to two-time leading rider Alan Cuthbertson riding Bella Mariella, “but I had a ton of horse left.” And she did just that.

Meow Wow, trained by Randy Gray, sat down on the rail and was able to see both Bella Mariella and Blueberry Blonde down the backstretch, however got into trouble behind fading horses around the turn. She was then able to get by Friends Road for third.


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