Pachi Cruze, with leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva up, won a lengthy stretch duel with Lokinforpursemonee and Silent Flash in Sunday’s $125,000 Frost King Stakes, at Woodbine.
Owned and trained by Jose Corrales, the bay son of Valid N Bold arrived at the 5 ½-furlong main track sprint for Ontario-sired juveniles from a third-place run in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park.
Sent to post as the 3-5 mutuel favourite, Pachi Cruze took command from the outside post in a field reduced to five runners with the scratch of morning line favourite Marten River. Lokinforpursemonee, with Gary Boulanger up, and Silent Flash, with David Moran up, rushed up to provide pressure through the turn and the trio would battle for the spoils down the lane.
Lokinforpursemonee, between rivals, appeared to have the upper hand in the final sixteenth, but a game and determined Pachi Cruze fought back along the rail to win by a head. Lokinforpursemonee held place by ¾-lengths over Silent Flash. Pachi Cruze covered 5 ½-furlongs in 1:05.83.
Pachi Cruze, a stalking winner on debut in a Laurel Park maiden allowance, raced on the lead for the first time in three career starts.
“It was a tough race. I think I took away his style, but he broke so sharp and I went to the lead,” said da Silva. “Hopefully next time there’s some speed for him to run at, and I can take him back and he will run a much better race.”
Da Silva remained confident in Pachi Cruze during the lengthy stretch run despite the presence of two rallying rivals.
“He was so relaxed and that horse (Lokinforpursemonee) came so fast. I was a little surprised and it took him a little bit longer to respond to me, but I knew he had a little bit extra in the tank because he was travelling very easy,” said da Silva.
The victory, an admittedly nerve wracking experience, was the first win at Woodbine for Corrales as both a trainer and owner.
“He broke very sharp. I thought he was handling the track very well and I thought we had it,” said Corrales. “By the eighth pole, I thought at least we’ll finish third. But, the horse came back.”
Pachi Cruze, bred in Ontario by Gordon A. Simmons, banked $75,000 in victory while improving his record to 2-0-1 from three starts.
He paid $3.40, $2.50 and $2.30, combining with Lokinforpursemonee ($2.80, $2.60) for a $9.70 (6-4) exactor. A 6-4-1 triactor (Silent Flash, $2.40 to show) was worth $14.50. Marten River was scratched.
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