Woodbine Wrap: Gas Me Up to Mile; King’s Plate Wrap
The tough Woodbine Mile will be next for plucky Gas Me Up, and a wrap of the King's Plate horses and the day.
Gas Me Up was deemed the winner of the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes by an inch on August 15. It was the second straight year the six-year-old won the King Edward. (Photo Finish Image)
You're Listening to an article from Canadian Thoroughbred.com. Woodbine Wrap: Gas Me Up to Mile; King’s Plate Wrap By: JENNIFER MORRISON | .
The photo finish camera was extra busy on the weekend trying to figure out who won which races by an inch here and there. The one race in which it didn’t work, the Bold Venture Stakes, longshot Souped Up won by a head and the stewards were able to confidently post the results.
The King Edward Stakes (G2) at one mile on the inner turf (it was run last year on the E.P. Taylor turf) had a three-horse finish in which fans thought any one of the three had won. Irish Aces along the rail, Piper’s Factor between. and Gas Me Up who was gaining on the outside.
After several minutes, Gas Me Up was deemed the winner by the tiniest margin over Piper’s Factor and Irish Aces. Gas Me Up, the fifth winner for trainer Kevin Attard on King’s Plate day, was coming off a five-month layoff after a stint in California when he won the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes. Back in his home province, the Sam-Son Farms-bred by Hard Spun was winning the King Edward for the second straight year. The lightly-raced gelding will use the race as a stepping-stone to another shot at the Woodbine Mile (G1) next month. He was third in the Mile on the inner turf last year behind Notable Speech and My Boy Prince.
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With this year’s Mile returning to the E.P. Taylor course and being a one-turn race, Gas Me Up will likely be able to handle the one-mile distance even better.
Aebly was asked point blank post-King Edward if he thought he had won.
“Yeah I did. He’s a big strong horse, he gives you everything he’s got every single time. And he showed that today.”
Gas Me UP is owned by Americans Exline – Border Racing, Michael Jawl, Aaron Kennedy and Tom Zweisler. “This is a real cool horse,” said Attard, who was asked if he had to sweat out the photo finish. ”Wasn’t sure at first, but he picked the right time to be in front that’s for sure.
“Obviously he had a great winter in California this year. Happy to get him back. He had a little bit of refreshing after that. The owners have really done well by him and the horse has obviously rewarded them really well.”
Stakes winner G T FIVE HUNDRED, who stopped badly on the last turn of the King Edward, bled badly as he galloped through the stretch run. He was vanned off for owner Centennial Farms (Niagara).
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MILITARY TIME and IMYOURMEDICINEMAN are two King’s Plate starters who will be pointing to the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie on Monday September 7. Military Time had an excellent Plate run, rallying to be second for Gary Barber and St. Elias Stable. Imyourmedicineman, however, had about the worst journey a horse could have.
Trained by Harold Ladouceur for Ad Noir and his Oh Em Gee Stable, Imyourmedicineman was in the back of the field early in the Plate and then launched an early bid with Bond Market alongside. Under Luis Contreras, Imyourmedicineman quickly ran out of room on the turn and checked hard, back to last place. By the time he had to reboot and get going again, Stronach Stables’ Very Special, who had been going fast on the lead with his new blinkers, was stopping along the inside and causing several horses to check. Imyourmedicineman wound up last off the turn for home, angled out wide and closed some ground.
Other horses in the Plate (see replay below) who had tough trips (although no one was beating Luster) included Dixie Law, who ran a brave race to be fourth, and Baaeed Alynna, who was tiring. Fire N Wire ran a remarkable race to hold on to third after setting a strong pace. The Coronation Futurity winner, who had been blasted in all three races this season, certainly turned his form around.
King’s Plate wagering for the day was $14,817,309 down from $16,902,760 one year ago. Recent King’s Plate wagering numbers include the 2021 day of $16,122,170 and in 2020, when no one could attend the race in person, the wagering was $14,532,678.
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LUSTER posted the second highest Beyer Speed Figure for a three-year-old filly in North America this year with her 102 in the Plate.
