Owner and trainer TEDSTON HOLDER, who came to Canada from Barbados in 1989 to pursue a career in Thoroughbred racing, has had plenty of challenges throughout his journey. But on June 11 at Woodbine, his $10,000 purchase KAUKOKAIPUU landed Holder and his Culpepper Island Syndicate in the headlines with a 1 1/4 length win in the $127,000 Queenston Stakes, the first stepping-stone race to the King’s Plate.
The grey three-year-old Kaukokaipuu (‘wanderlust’ in Finnish) became the first stakes winner for Holder and first Woodbine stakes winner for jockey Rico Walcott, also from Barbados and a leading rider in Alberta.
At seven furlongs, the Queenston is some ways off from the 1 1/4 mile distance of the Plate, which is on August 20, but this year’s field had many of the local Plate contenders. Among them was the 2022 Champion two-year-old PHILIP MY DEAR, multiple stakes winning POULIN IN O T, and race favourite MOON LANDING.
From the gate, it was Michael Langlois and Gary Barber’s Paramount Prince and jockey Patrick Husbands who went to the lead, soon joined to his outside by Poulin in O T and jockey Eswan Flores. Kaukokaipuu, coming off a 9 1/2 length maiden win, had inside speed but then settled behind the dueling pair along the rail. It was some time before Walcott could get his mount out from behind the front runners but in mid-stretch he got a path and drove to victory over a tough Paramount Prince. The time of the race was 1:23.55.
Poulin in O T held third and One Bay Hemingway was up for fourth. Philip My Dear was outrun and finished eighth while Moon Landing trailed in 12th throughout.
“At first when he was bottled in, I was a bit nervous,” said Holder. “But when he got out that is when I got excited.”
This was the second straight win for Kaukokaipuu (Mr. Speaker – Grey Pride by Mizzen Mast) who was bred by Sean Fitzhenry. The colt was second five in his seven races in 2022 while earning over $100,000.
Holder said that during a winter in Florida at Classic Mile Training Centre, Kaukokaipuu grew and matured. Holder also prepared eventual Barbados Gold Cup winner It’s a Gamble for trainer Romell Lovell at Classic Mile this winter.
Holder raced his own horses under Culpepper Island Racing Stables in the past but started the Culpepper Island syndicate in 2021 when he purchased Kaukokaipuu. The syndicate includes 10 shareholders from all over the world including Edna Black, who worked at Woodbine for Tony Mattine in the early 2000s and is from Toronto, Shima Holder, a scientist in Sweden and also a niece of Ted and friends from Finland and Australia.
Holder was in England at a Tatteralls yearling sale in October 2021 when Kaukokaipuu was led into the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.
“I wanted him because he is a half-brother to a filly I have, Hallanvaara, who I was really high on.” Ted had someone bid for him on behalf of the syndicate.
The dam of Kaukokaipuu, Grey Pride, was winless in three races for Fitzhenry and the Queenston winner is her third foal. Grey Pride’s dam, Oval Cut, is an unraced half-sister to Woodbine Oaks winner Catch the Ring from Sam-Son Farms, Bison City Stakes winner Seeking the Ring, and others. The third dam is graded stakes winner Radiant Ring.
Holder, who credits fellow Woodbine trainer Ricky Griffith for leading Holder to Ontario and also Maryland trainer D. Scott Posey for encouraging him to ‘follow his dreams’, suggested the 1 1/8 mile Plate Trial could be ‘Kauko’s’ next start.
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Double for Shelley: SHELLEY FITZGERALD saddled her first two winners of the season on Sunday. Her exciting mare STORMY SILENCE, whom she owns and bred by Martin Wickens, won an optional claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:14.68 and ENGLISH SHIRL, a well-bred mare for Wickens and Patrice Likamshum, won her maiden on turf in the finale. Both horses were ridden by Sahin Civaci, who bagged a triple on the day.
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First time starter LADY URUS won a race-long battle with heavily favoured Sign of Beauty and won the 5th race Sunday at seven furlongs on turf. Trained by Steven Chircop for owner and breeder Rob Marzilli, Lady Urug is by Astern (Aus) from Scat Gal by Scat Daddy. The three-year-old was bought back from the 2021 CTHS Ontario sale for $20,000.
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