Minakshi tops Matz exactor in Canadian

"I got a nice staking trip," Contreras said. "My filly relaxed really nicely

for me. Michael (Matz) told me in the morning that the horse can be on the lead

but she relaxes better and she relaxed for me nice. I just angled outside in the

quarter-pole and she just gave me everything and I got more horse at the end."

"She had a wonderful trip up," assistant trainer Joy Cooper said. "She's a

bit of a quirky filly, so you got to be really patient with her. She has to have

the pony in the paddock and you just hope everything goes her way because the

switch can flip and she can lose it, so it is more so just trying to let things

go her way."

Moment of Majesty closed for third, another 1 3/4 lengths back. La Tia, Ladys

First, No Explaining, Pure Blue Sky, 2-1 favorite Solid Appeal and recent French

import Meri Shika rounded out the order of finish.

Minakshi now sports a mark of 18-5-2-3, $339,507. Originally trained in

France by Pascal Bary, the Footstepsinthesand mare won three straight as a

sophomore in 2011 -- a maiden at Saint-Malo and conditions races at Deauville

and Fontainebleau. Her skein was halted when she finished a close third in a

handicap at Longchamp. Minakshi had a tougher time as a four-year-old, but

finally came around last fall. After capturing a conditions event at

Maisons-Laffitte, she made her stakes debut in the Prix Isola Bella at Chantilly

and missed by a neck.

Imported to the United States for her five-year-old campaign, Minakshi

finished a strong second in the May 1 Owsley at Belmont in her first try for

Matz. She went on to run well in her three ensuing starts, checking in third in

the May 25 Sheepshead Bay, fourth in the June 29 New York, and third in the July

28 Matchmaker at Monmouth, before scoring her breakthrough at Woodbine.

Bred by Elevage Haras de Bourgeauville, Minakshi is out of the stakes-placed

Machiavellian mare Maria de la Luz, who is also responsible for stakes-winning

French hurdler Marble Garden. Minakshi's second dam is the winning Lyphard mare

Light of Hope, a full sister to Group 3-winning sire Alzao. This is also the

family of Australian Group 1 heroines Arapaho Miss and Vouvray and Grade 1 queen

Toga Toga Toga.

Minakshi's fourth dam is Broodmare of the Year Pocahontas, famous for

producing champion Tom Rolfe and multiple stakes star Chieftain, both noted

sires.

His Race to Win earned his second straight victory, having captured an

allowance on August 10 over the synthetic track by two lengths. Now 3-3-2 from

11 career races, the Malcolm Pierce-trained bay has accumulated $293,224 in

lifetime earnings.

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