Ace turf horse March to the Arch chased down the pacesetters to win the $100,000 Niagara Stakes on Sunday afternoon over Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course. The stakes feature for four-year-olds and up was run at a distance of ‘about’ 1 1/8 miles.
The Niagara could not have set up any better for Live Oak Plantation’s multiple graded stakes winner by Arch – Daveron (Ger) by Black Sam Bellamy (Ire). Classy stakes winner Admiralty Pier, a confirmed front runner, was in deep water early in the race when Primo Touch and jockey Sunny Singh hooked up with him and then flew through fractions of :23.14 and :45.32. At one point the pair were more than 10 lengths ahead of the rest of the field.
However, March to the Arch and jockey Patrick Husbands saved ground on the bend then rallied outside of 2020 Breeders’ Stakes winner Belichick down the stretch. He reeled in the tiring leaders and went on to score by a widening 4 ½ lengths in 1:45.15 over the ‘good’ course, with Belichick finishing second.
Theregoesjojo edged out Primo Touch in a photo for show a half-length back while Current was fifth followed by Sir Sahib, Admiralty Pier, Woodbridge and Mnemba Island.
“He’s classy. Everybody would like to ride a horse like him,” said Husbands. “He’s got a serious, serious turn of foot.”
Fresh off a runner-up performance in the Grade 3 Dominion Day at the start of July to Horse of the year Mighty Heart, March to the Arch was sent postward as the 6-5 favourite here and paid $4.40 to win.
March to the Arch won the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes over the E.P. Taylor turf last year prior to his second-place effort in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Today, he notched his eighth career win from 27 starts while pushing his bankroll over the $1 million mark in Canadian earnings.
Eight Star racing’s KING’S CAUSEWAY scored a big win in an allowance race on the grass earlier on July 25. The Giant Gizmo – True Darling by Yes It’s True five-year-old gelding saved ground early, went wide and then through a crowd to win the 1 1/16 mile race over a stubborn Bode’s Tipsy in 1:41.44. Trained by Vito Armata and saddled by Willie Armata, this flashy gelding is two for two at Woodbine this year following a couple of good outings at Pimlico with trainer Justin Nixon. Last year King’s Causeway was a winner for trainer Norm McKnight and Eight Star.
Eight Stars is Joe Mazarese, Lorenzo Scala, Michael Dattoli, and Michele Fronte. King’s Causeway was bred by John Ross and Doug Carter.
King’s Causeway won his second straight race for Eight Stars Racing Stable and Vito Arnata on Sunday.
Georg Morgan (no e) from Langley, British Columbia has raced a few horses during the last 16 years including stakes winner Venetian Mask, winner of the John Longden 6000 at Hastings Racecourse in 2017. He did not have a winner until wave Warning won a claiming race last season before passing away in a subsequent race.
On Sunday, the owner’s filly PERSERVANCIA, a Kentucky bred by California Chrome – Undeterred by More Than Ready blew away a maiden allowance field in her first run in Canada and fourth career start. Trained by Darwin Banach, the pretty bay filly was exiting a strong, key race at Gulfstream Park where she was second by a head. Rafael Hernandez rode. Morgan is a retired pilot for Air Canada.
Trainers Randy Thompson, Sarah Ritchie and Ian Black saddled their first winners of the season on Sunday (Fourteen Days, November Fog and Asha Ironborn respectively.
And Denton Ebnanks’ SHEDAT (Mr Speaker) defeated Grade 1 placed Court Vision in an optional event on the inner turf. Shedat is trained by Kevin Attard.
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