Asserting Bear earned his first stakes score with a powerful stretch run to win the $250,000 Coronation Futurity.
Trained by Reade Baker for Bear Stables Ltd., the bay son of Bear’s Kid-Star Guest tracked the early pace of Heart to Heart in the 1 1/8-mile ‘Poly’ stake for two-year-old Canadian-breds and kicked on down the lane to win by a length, avoiding traffic trouble that stymied favoured Ami’s Holiday and second-choice Matador.
Heart to Heart reached three-quarters in 1:13.61 and took the seven-horse field into the final turn under outside pressure from Asserting Bear and a rail-skimming Majestic Sunset, piloted by Eurico Rosa da Silva.
Matador, looking for room through the turn under Patrick Husbands, was unable to find a suitable path and soon encountered pressure from Luis Contreras, looking to close from last with the previously undefeated Ami’s Holiday, as well as the wide-rallying Man o’ Bear ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Heart to Heart dug in gamely down the lane but a determined Asserting Bear would not be denied stopping the clock in 1:50.96. Majestic Sunset held on for place over the oncoming Man o’ Bear.
Following the race, Husbands, who finished last of seven on Matador, claimed foul against Wilson, aboard Man o’ Bear, for interference at the quarter-pole. However, the stewards determined that Contreras, who finished fifth on Ami’s Holiday, caused the interference and placed them last.
McAleney, who previously captured the Coronation Futurity with Spigot (1988) and Firm Dancer (1995), tipped his cap to Baker for having the bay colt prepared.
“He was right on his game,” said McAleney of Asserting Bear. “He worked really well coming into this race. He’s made leaps and bounds of improvement from the first time I rode him until now and that’s the handling of the horse.”
Justin Stein guided Asserting Bear in a nondescript debut, but the colt woke up second time out to break his maiden in a seven furlong turf tilt under McAleney at odds of 34-1.
Asserting Bear pressed the pace in the grassy Grade 2 Summer Stakes before finishing a well-beaten eighth, but improved last time out with a strong stretch run to be third in the Cup and Saucer Stakes, defeated less than a length by Coronation Futurity rival Matador over a yielding turf course.
“He ran a great race that day (in the Cup and Saucer), said McAleney. “Soft turf tends to favour speed so the two horses that ran one-two (Matador by a nose over Cool Faith) had favour to their side. He closed really hard late.”
McAleney, looking forward to the 2014 Queen’s Plate, believes the well-built colt should appreciate the added ground.
“He sure handled it well today and from two (years-old) to three (years-old), you only have to go another eighth of a mile, so it would be surprising if he couldn’t get it,” said McAleney.
The last horse to win the Coronation Futurity and then the Plate was Norcliffe, who achieved the feat in 1975-76.
Although Asserting Bear earns the accolades, Baker does not want to discount the talent of Man o’Bear.
“Man o’ Bear got backed away at the start and I still think Man o’ Bear might be able to beat him (Asserting Bear),” said Baker.
Baker earned his first Coronation Futurity score with the win and is also keen to see Asserting Bear, a $50,695 purchase at the 2012 Canadian-bred yearling sale, contest longer distances going forward.
“He’s got distance on both sides of his pedigree,” said Baker. “Asserting Bear is a half-brother to a horse (Inish Glora) that made $977,000 going long.”
The Coronation Futurity score is also key to owner Danny Dion’s Bear Stables Ltd, as he owns the sire, Bear’s Kid, who stands in Ontario at Colebrook Farms.
Asserting Bear, who is expected to make his final 2013 appearance in the 1 1/16-mile Kingarvie Stakes, banked $150,000 in victory, while improving his record to 2-0-1 from five career starts.
He returned $19.90, $7.70 and $18.40, pairing with Majestic Sunset ($19.20, $19) for a $254.20 (5-2) exactor. A 5-1-2 (Man o’ Bear, $6.50 to show) triactor was worth $1090.30. Heart to Heart completed a $1 Superfecta (5-1-2-4) worth $2563.25.
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