John Unger’s Strut the Course scored an authoritative 6 1/2-length win in Monday’s $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Barb Minshall, the bay daughter of Strut the Stage arrived at the 1 1/16-mile ‘Poly’ stake off a rallying third-place finish in the Bison City Stakes.
Laughing Falcon led the field of three-year-old fillies through splits of :24.88, :49.71 and 1:14.33 with Seeking Toussaud, Dancing Bay and Strut the Course stalking well within striking range.
Todd Kabel urged Strut the Course into action through the far turn and his filly responded with an impressive turn of foot to capture her first added-money victory in a final running time of 1:44.67. Seeking Toussaud stayed on for place over Dancing Bay.
Kabel was pleased with the confident trip he engineered for Strut the Course.
“I let her put herself in the race where she wanted to be,” said Kabel. “The pace was backed up a bit at the beginning which turned it into a sprint at the turn and I was able to sit and sit. I had so much horse underneath me.”
Strut the Course banked $75,000 in victory, while improving her record to 3-1-2 from eight career starts.
She returned $6.70, $3.80 and $2.80, pairing with Seeking Toussaud ($8, $3.70) for a $51.10 (7-4) exactor. A 7-4-6 (Dancing Bay, $3.10 to show) triactor was worth $168.50. As If I Care was scratched.
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