Toronto, ON – Bear Stables’ It’s Time Bear, with Emile Ramsammy aboard, made every pole a winning one Sunday at Woodbine, taking the featured $125,000 Bold Ruckus Stakes, an Ontario Sires event for three-year-olds.
Sent postward an 11-1 outsider, It’s Time Bear immediately shot to the front in the six-furlong turf stake, taking the field of 10 through an opening quarter in :24-flat, and the half in :47.42, while being pressed by favoured Mobil Unit and Doctor Jack.
But after the field turned for home, Ramsammy let out another notch on the Reade Baker-trained pacesetter and the gelded son of Peaks and Valleys had more than enough left, crossing the wire 1 ½ lengths in front of Race for Gold, with Arepeatee third, in 1:11.68 over the ‘yielding’ course.
It was not only the first turf outing for It’s Time Bear, but also the lawn debut of all the others in the race except the 7-5 favourite Mobil Unit, who broke his maiden on the grass last year, then, in two other turf starts, was fourth in the Summer Stakes and third in the Cup and Saucer. He finished eighth today.
“The turf course was a little soft, but we went pretty relaxed and they just left me alone,” said Ramsammy. “I think he was much more comfortable today (on the turf). He’s a young, maturing horse. He’s got a few quirks in him.”
Added Baker, “I’m not smart enough to guess who can turf and who can’t turf. I just bring them over and run them once. He’s a big, strong horse, with big feet on him. Looked like the right kind (for the grass).”
It’s Time Bear paid $25.60, $9.40 and $6.40, combining with Race for Gold ($4.40, $3.10) for a $120.60 (6-11) exactor. A 6-11-7 (Arepeatee, $5.40 to show) triactor fashioned a $1,369.80 payoff, while a $1 Superfecta [6-11-7-1 (Bold Canadian)] came back $7,113.70.