Desert Isle charged from just off the pace to win the $100,000 Zadracarta Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Woodbine 29 June.
Sent off as the favorite in the seven-furlong turf contest, the four-year-old daughter of Bernardini raced just off the pace in fourth through the early stages of the race. Desert Isle began to close in on the leaders on the far turn. The dark bay filly swept to the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to run, then held off the late charge of Miss Sea to win by three-quarters of a length.
Desert Isle was bred in Ontario by her owner, Sam-Son Farm, and is out of Eye Of The Sphynx (Smart Strike), Canada’s Champion Three-Year-Old filly and winner of the G2 Selene Stakes and Woodbine Oaks. In addition to Desert Isle, Eye Of The Sphynx has produced Champion Eye Of The Leopard (A.P. Indy), winner of the Queen’s Plate, and Deceptive Vision (A.P. Indy), winner of the G2 Canadian Stakes and G3 Doubledogdare Stakes.
Desert Isle becomes the 70th Stakes winner for her sire, Bernardini, who is also represented in 2019 by Capezzano, winner of the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3; Cherry Lodge, winner of the Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes and Crescentcitypretty, winner of the Azalea Stakes.
