Asserting Bear crossed the wire first but it was Conquest Top Gun who took the spoils when the stewards determined Asserting Bear interfered with third-place finisher Ami’s Holiday deep in the stretch run of Sunday’s $140,000 Marine Stakes, at Woodbine.
The Marine was reduced to a six-horse field with the scratches of Matador and Supermonic, but the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ tilt still featured four Plate-eligible horses including Asserting Bear, Ami’s Holiday, Heart to Heart and Tower of Texas.
Conquest Top Gun, with Eurico Rosa da Silva up, set swift splits along the rail of :23.87 and :47.65 under pressure throughout from favoured Asserting Bear who was being piloted for the first time by Chantal Sutherland Kruse.
Ami’s Holiday, racing at the back of the pack, saved all the ground under rider Luis Contreras and waited patiently for a path down the lane as Conquest Top Gun and Asserting Bear continued to battle.
In deep stretch, a hole opened up between the pacesetters and Contreras angled his mount through only to be checked by a drifting in Asserting Bear. Sutherland Kruse straightened her mount and crossed the wire first, but did not survive the steward’s inquiry and claim of foul from Contreras. Conquest Top Gun covered 1 1/16-miles in 1:44.44.
It was the first added-money score for Conquest Top Gun, bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms LLC, who is trained by Mark Casse for owners Conquest Stables.
Da Silva was concerned with the quick early fractions.
“My horse was very anxious to run and the other horse (Asserting Bear) was always beside me which didn’t make my job too easy,” said da Silva. “I was surprised he went that fast and still kept going. He ran a great race.”
Conquest Top Gun, a three-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile, banked $75,000 in victory while improving his record to 2-0-1 from four starts.
He returned $8.10, $3.60 and $3 pairing with Ami’s Holiday ($4.20, $3 for a $32.10 (1-3) exactor. A 1-3-6 (Asserting Bear, $2.90 to show) triactor was worth $138.60. Supermonic and Matador were scratched.
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