You Will Love Me fought back in the final stages to take the $125,000 Victoriana Stakes on Sunday at Woodbine.

The four-year-old Earl Barnett trainee was a half-length winner of the turf event, defeating 7-5 Executive Flight, who also finished in last year’s Victoriana and third-place finisher, 14-1 Bold Corky.

In tallying her sixth career win, the Ontario-bred filly returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since August 29, when she took the Eternal Search Stakes, over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine Polytrack.

You Will Love Me, under regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva, sat just off pacesetter Galipette through early splits of :24.01 and :47.90.

In the stretch, it appeared Executive Flight was well on her way to victory, but You Will Love Me dug in along the rail and wouldn’t be denied.

da Silva said the bay, bred and owned by Bill Jones, wasn’t willing to concede defeat, in covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.02 over the ‘firm’ turf.

“She was relaxed, but I just didn’t want to press her too early,” said da Silva, who leads the Woodbine riding colony with nine stakes wins on the season. “I knew she would kick on. I know that horse (Executive Flight) came quickly on me and passed by, but my horse is a fighter. She likes to win.”

You Will Love Me now has 10 top-three finishes from 14 career starts. Last year, she won four races from eight starts, along with two seconds and two thirds.

“I had butterflies at the beginning of the race and my heart is still pounding very hard,” said Jones. “We were the underdog in this race.”

You Will Love Me paid $14.30, $6.60 and $4.60, combining with Executive Flight ($3.10, $2.40) for a $46.20 exactor. Bold Corky ($7.30) rounded out a $344.90 triactor.
(Source: Woodbine Entertainment)