San Nicola Thunder pressed the early pace of Spadina Road and stayed on gamely down the lane to capture Sunday’s co-featured $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by John Cardella for owners Paul Cooper and Joe Pirone, San Nicola Thunder benefitted from a crafty ride by Jesse Campbell after the heavily favoured Pender Harbour was scratched at the gate.
Spadina Road set a contested pace marking splits of :25.48 and :49.85 with San Nicola Thunder on his flank and Freitag, Chris’ Brew and Iroquois Falls stalking their early foot.
A bunched up field turned into the lane with Spadina Road maintaining a precarious 1/2-length lead over the advancing San Nicola Thunder as Freitag and Chris’ Brew waited for racing room.
San Nicola Thunder took command in mid-stretch as the rail finally opened up for Freitag who made a determined run only to miss by a head. San Nicola Thunder covered 1 1/6-miles in 1:45.99. Spadina Road stayed on for third.
Campbell was pleased with the trip he engineered for the dark bay son of Silent Name.
“When ‘Pender’ unfortunately got scratched at the gate, I called a bit of an audible,” said Campbell. “I let him show a little more speed than he usually does, just because the dynamics of the race changed. I’m very impressed with this horse. He’s really a game horse.”
The victory marked the second added-money score this season for San Nicola Thunder having previously captured the Bunty Lawless Stakes, a one-turn mile on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
San Nicola Thunder banked $75,000 in victory while improving his record to 5-6-5 from 26 starts.
He paid $5.50, $4 and $3.10, combining with Freitag ($5.50, $4.20) for a $70 (5-3) exactor. A 5-3-6 triactor (Spadina Road) was worth $122.60, while a $1 5-3-6-8 Superfecta (Iroquois Falls) came back $150.40. Bobcaygeon and Pender Harbour were scratched.
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