by Jenny Blandford

Edward Seltzer’s Verdana Bold held off fast-closing even-money favorite Grace and Power by a head to win the $259,377 Selene Stakes (Can-G3) on Sunday at Woodbine.

The Rahy filly earned her first graded stakes win in front-running style in the Selene to remain undefeated in two starts at the Toronto track since she was transferred to trainer Daniel Vella. Verdana Bold entered off a win in the Star Shoot Stakes on April 13. She made her first four career starts at Laurel Park for trainer Rodney Jerkins.

Verdana Bold dictated the pace under Emile Ramsammy in the Selene, which drew six other three-year-old fillies. Verdana Bold led through a half-mile in :47.26 while maintaining a one-length lead. She opened a four-length lead entering the stretch but soon began to tire.

Grade 1-placed stakes winner Grace and Power closed from three wide on the turn, unleashed a fierce rally, and tried gamely to collar Verdana Bold, who held on to win the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44.20 on the all-weather Polytrack surface.

"It looked like we were going to be on the lead,” Ramsammy said. “It was nice to see the [other early] speed scratch out, it gave us the chance to breathe. In the stretch, she ran game.”

Grace and Power finished a length in front of third-place finisher Initforreal.

Bred in Kentucky, Verdana Bold is the first starter out of the unraced A.P. Indy mare True Legacy (GB). She improved to four wins in six starts and boosted her earnings to $271,764.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor