Carnival Colors up in class for G3 Mazarine Stakes

Two-year-old filly Carnival Colors steps up to G3 level for the Mazarine Stakes over an extended mile on Tapeta at Woodbine, Canada, on Saturday, 6 October.

The daughter of Distorted Humor continues on a synthetic surface following two Polytrack appearances at Arlington, including a comprehensive victory in an extended mile maiden on 16 August, when she powered clear of her rivals to score by 11 and a half lengths. 

Carnival Colors, trained by Michael Stidham, ridden by Luis Contreras for the first time and drawn four, tackles six other juvenile fillies including Shady Wells Stakes winner Tiz Breathtaking plus Comic Kitten and Not Orbinary, who both finished behind Godolphin’s La Pelosa in the G1 Natalma Stakes on turf at Woodbine on 16 September.

Michael Stidham commented: “We shipped Carnival Colors over to Fair Hill following her maiden win at Arlington and she has been training very well there.

“We kept our options open regarding where to go and she was nominated for a couple of races at Keeneland, including this weekend’s G1 Alcibiades Stakes, but the Mazarine Stakes looks a better option. 

“We felt that, if we can get a placing, or hopefully a win in a G3 race, it would be the best thing to do at this stage of her career.

“She has worked on both the Tapeta and the dirt at Fair Hill. She has a top dirt family on her dam’s side and we hope that she will handle the dirt, because it will open up a lot more doors. 

“Having said that, she broke her maiden so impressively on a synthetic surface and there was no reason not to run her in a race like this at Woodbine. 

“The distance is everything to her – it seems like she will run all day and, when she started to make her move last time out, she just kept rolling.”