Reporting Star rallied up the rail and stayed strong through the wire to hold off Tower of Texas in Sunday’s Grade 2 $215,200 Play the King Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Pat Parente for Copper Water Thoroughbred Management Company, Reporting Star made his first added-money score a graded one with a narrow nose victory thanks to a perfect stalking trip engineered by jockey Luis Contreras.
Sent to post at odds of 15-1 in a field that included Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champion Bobby’s Kitten and the multiple graded stakes winners Tower of Texas and Kaigun, Reporting Star proved more than up to the task in the seven furlong turf sprint.
Bobby’s Kitten, the 6-5 mutuel favourite, engaged Stacked Deck in a pace duel marking off splits of :22.32 and :45.01, well in front of Reporting Star who was travelling inside of Tower of Texas down the back straight.
Contreras urged Reporting Star into contention through the turn, securing the rail, as Bobby’s Kitten drifted wide and Stacked Deck began to falter. Tower of Texas, advancing with great pace, angled off the rail for the stretch run and took an early lead but a determined Reporting Star surged up the rail, taking command, and stayed off one last thrust from Tower of Texas to win by a nose. Kaigun rallied late for show money. Reporting Star covered seven furlongs in 1:20.66.
Taking first run at the leaders was key for Contreras in securing the victory.
“I was trying to stay a little bit ahead of Tower of Texas. He was the only one coming hard at the end,” said Contreras.
It was the second career graded stakes win for trainer Pat Parente who captured the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes in May with Black Hornet. The Woodbine-based conditioner was thrilled with the effort of the five-year-old Reporting Star.
“He’s a great horse and he gives you everything he’s got every time he runs,” said Parente. “It was a perfect stalking trip. He had them in his sights and when he has a horse in his sights he’ll run them down.”
Reporting Star, bred in Florida by Gilbert G. Campbell, banked $120,000 in victory while improving his record to 5-6-8 from 22 starts.
He paid $32.40, $12.70 and $6.60, combining with Tower of Texas ($4.10, $3.20) for a $170.60 (6-2) exactor. A 6-2-8 triactor (Kaigun, $4.50 to show) was worth $578.20, while a $1 Superfecta [6-2-8-3 (Passion for Action)] came back $1570.55.
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Billy’s Star shines in Victoria Park
TORONTO, August 23- Perfect Timber Partnership’s Billy’s Star closed late on the far outside to win Sunday’s co-featured $140,250 Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine.
Trained by Roger Attfield, the son of Perfect Soul (IRE) arrived at the 1 1/8-mile ‘Poly’ event from a third-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, using the extra sixteenth of a mile to secure his first stakes win.
Bring on the Bull was the early pace setter, posting fractions of 24.33 and 48.68 as both Conquest Pacemaker and U S Marshal pressed throughout. With Eurico Rosa da Silva on board, Conquest Pacemaker made his move at the quarter pole, taking over the lead up until the final eighth of a mile.
But there was no denying Billy’s Star, last of six for most of the running under Alan Garcia, who rallied five-wide late in the turn and swooped to a 1 ¼ length victory. Firespike arrived late for place money, a length in front of Conquest Pacemaker. Billy’s Star covered nine furlongs in 1.51.42.
Attfield had confidence in the improving bay, providing Garcia, riding Billy’s Star for the first time, with perfect pre-race instructions.
“He’s got a good turn of foot,” said Attfield. “I said to Alan that he’ll sit off the pace, no problem, and he’s got a decent quarter-of-a-mile kick. It all worked out well.”
Billy’s Star was bred in Ontario by part owner Charles Fipke. He is a son of Perfect Soul (IRE), out of a Seeking the Gold mare, Tapatina. He banked $90,000 in victory, bringing his lifetime earnings to over $197,000.
Billy’s Star paid $7.60, $3.50 and $2.30 combining with Firespike ($3.70, $2.30) for a $19.20 (7-6) exactor. A 7-6-4 triactor (Conquest Pacemaker, $2.10 to show) paid $50.20. Conquest Cobra was scratched.
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