Janice Attard’s Glenville Gardens, the longest shot on the board at 12-1 under Gary Boulanger, notched his first graded stakes win in Saturday’s $215,600 Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Sid Attard, the dark bay son of Street Cry arrived at the seven furlong turf sprint for three-year-olds and upward from a narrow nose score in the allowance prep for the Play the King over rival Tower of Texas.
Dimension arrived at the Play the King from back-to-back Grade 2 victories in the Connaught Cup and King Edward Stakes, but missed the break and spotted the field four lengths as Conquest Enforcer, the 8-5 mutuel favourite, surged out to take command.
Conquest Enforcer, a well-regarded three-year-old facing older company, edged to the lead under Patrick Husbands with Ami’s Flatter, piloted by Luis Contreras, pressing the pace while Glenville Gardens settled in third along the rail.
Conquest Enforcer maintained his lead to the top of the lane as Glenville Gardens and Passion for Action launched their bid, getting the jump on Tower of Texas who started a menacing run from next to last in the field of six.
Glenville Gardens took command late in the lane and had more than enough in reserve to hold off the late running Tower of Texas for a 1/2-length win. Conquest Enforcer stayed on strong to complete the triactor, a 1/2-length in front of Passion for Action. Glenville Gardens covered seven furlongs in 1:20.82 over a ‘firm’ E.P. Taylor Turf course.
“He put me in a great position,” said Boulanger. “He’s just a fighter. Coming down the lane, he doesn’t give up. He grinds all the way to the wire. He tries really hard. He’s pretty push-button to ride. He gives you a good feeling.”
Attard claimed Glenville Gardens for $40,000 out of a winning effort on September 13, 2015 and enjoyed immediate dividends as the dark bay gelding came right back to win an optional claiming event before scoring in the Labeeb Stakes.
Glenville Gardens started his 2016 campaign with a good fourth-place run in the Connaught Cup before winning the Play the King prep. Bred in Kentucky by Eugene Melnyk, Glenville Gardens banked $120,000 in victory while improving his record to seven wins and two seconds from 13 starts.
He paid $26, $9.80 and $5.10, combining with Tower of Texas ($3.70, $3) for a $121.10 (4-7) exactor. A 4-7-2 triactor (Conquest Enforcer, $2.60 to show) was worth $498. Green Mask was scratched
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