Be Vewy Vewy Quiet delivered on his pari-mutuel promise winning the $125,000 Frost King Stakes for Ontario-sired two-year-olds in a photo finish over Silent Sting on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack.
Jockey Rafael Hernandez worked out the winning trip aboard the 9-5 favourite for trainer Robert Tiller, who earned his 11th stakes victory of the season – second-most at the Woodbine meet trailing only Mark Casse (16). A winner of the Clarendon Stakes this summer, Be Vewy Vewy Quiet accounts for two of those wins.
“Eleven stakes this year. That’s what it’s all about, the big races,” said Tiller, whose leading winner is Horse of the Year candidate Pink Lloyd with seven stakes to his credit this season heading into next weekend’s Kennedy Road Stakes. “We’ve won 11 stakes so we’ve had a fantastic year, in that department anyway. It’s a thrill. To develop young horses and see them go out and be runners, that’s a real thrill.”
Breaking well from the outer post nine, Be Vewy Vewy Quiet stalked outside mid-pack with Silent Sting tracking him before those two sprang into action turning for home in the seven-furlong sprint. Inge had led the field through fractions of :23.32 and :46.61 with Beer Pressure pressing the pace and taking over command at the top of the stretch. However, Be Vewy Vewy Quiet struck in the stretch, rallying four-wide outside of Smooth Talk, and then held off the oncoming Silent Sting by a head for the victory in 1:23.28. Royal Laser, bumped at the start, closed from last to show, finishing just ahead of Beer Pressure.
“Robert and I were talking about it before the race. We liked the post position and that helped us a lot,” said Hernandez, who was paired up with Be Vewy Vewy Quiet for the first time in the gelding’s five career starts. “That was one of the reasons we won the race. The horse set up perfect today. He relaxed good and he made his run down the lane. He showed up today.”
Bred To Go Long
Both Hernandez and Tiller agreed the homebred Silent Name-Advanced Green youngster could go two turns in the future.
“Absolutely. I think he kind of plods along and I always thought that he’s a horse that would stretch out and he proved it today going seven-eighths,” said Tiller. “I think the mare throws distance horses so I really think he’ll go long. He just kind of plods along at his own pace, but he’s got heart. He got beat a couple of close races, they were short races and a few excuses, but he’s run hard every time.”
Be Vewy Vewy Quiet now boasts three wins along with a pair of stakes-placings, defeated less than a length in both the Colin and Bull Page, for more than $200,000 in earnings for owners Frank Di Giulio Jr., Anthony D’Onofrio and J. Peri.
Be Vewy Vewy Quiet paid $5.60, $2.80 and $2.60. He combined with Silent Sting ($4.30, $3.10) for a 9-8 exacta worth $18.90. A $1 trifecta of 9-8-5 (Royal Laser, $4.40) paid $60 and a $1 superfecta of 9-8-5-6 (Beer Pressure) returned $225.80. Smooth Talk, Handsome Like Me, Cat’s Whisper, Sheriff Clarke, Josie’s Riddle and Inge completed the order of finish.
Watch the Frost King Stakes here:
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