Kaigun collected his first career stakes win in style with a stunning late run to take the Grade 2, $224,800 Play the King Stakes, Sunday afternoon at Woodbine.
Patrick Husbands guided the four-year-old son of Northern Afleet to the three-quarters of a length victory for trainer Mark Casse and the ownership of Gary Barber, Quintessential Racing Florida LLC and Horse’n Around Racing Stable in a running time of 1:20.71 for seven furlongs of turf.
Lockout was second at 12-1, with 17-1 outsider Dimension, a further 2 ¾ lengths back in third.
Husbands wrangled Kaigun back at the break and from post nine, sent him to the rail near the back of the pack, while splits of :21.98 and :44.59 were cut by Global Power and Sharp Sensation.
The field went through six furlongs in 1:08.44, but Husbands and Kaigun had work to do as the duo started making up ground in the stretch. Kaigun managed his way between horses in deep stretch en route to his fourth career victory.
“Looking at the form, there was definitely a lot speed in the race,” Husbands said. “Leaving the gate I wanted to get down to the rail and then at the eighth pole, get out. It worked out perfectly.”
Kaigun, bred in Ontario by Bill Sorokolit, was going into the formidable Play The King off four straight Grade 1 turf events. Two seconds, a fourth and a fifth place finish in those races, plus the Play The King score on home soil, should have him set for the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on September 14 at Woodbine.
Husbands was sporting familiar silks aboard Kaigun. The chestnut gelding is a stablemate of Queen’s Plate heroine Lexie Lou, who was also in Sunday action, winning the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes.
The shocking pink silks belong to Barber, who watched the races in person at Woodbine and discussed his Plate win.
“I’m happy to be here,” Barber said. “It was unbelievable to win the Plate. Especially for Mark, who has struggled to win one. I was in an airport lounge watching it on my IPad and my wife and I were screaming at the top of our lungs. It was a thrilling feeling.”
Kaigun now has career earnings of $560,633. He paid $9.80 to win and combined with Lockout for a $76.70 exactor. Dimension rounded out the $1,184.90 triactor.
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