The Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) has been run every year but one since 1989 (34 editions) and trainer Robert Tiller has won six of those. The Hall of Fame trainer has developed dozens of champions in nearly 50 years of training and he seems to have a flair for top-class sprinters.
Of course, one of the greatest sprinters Canada has seen, Pink Lloyd, was trained by Tiller and that mighty gelding won three editions of the Kennedy Road. Pink Lloyd was purchased by Frank DiGiulio Jr. on behalf of himself and friends which raced ‘Pinkie’ under Entourage Stable.
How remarkable is it then that DiGiulio and Tiller are back for the Kennedy Road, the 11th race at Woodbine on Saturday, November 16, with yet another champion sprinter, Patches O’Houlihan? A much stockier gelding than his famous former stablemate, ‘Patches’ is a homebred for DiGiulio and is already proving to be virtually unbeatable on his home track.
The speedy gelding has only lost twice in 13 races and he is unbeaten this year in four races with new rider Sofia Vives. His latest was perhaps his most impressive as he was moving to the grass, a less-than-firm turf, for the Nearctic Stakes (G2). Patches drifted out quite badly through the stretch run, looked beaten on at least one occasion, but he held on for the win.
Coincidentally, Patches O’Houlihan’s last defeat came in last year’s Kennedy Road Stakes off a two-month layoff. It ended his season-long unbeaten streak.
Is there any chink in his armour coming into this year’s Kennedy Road? Likely not, but there are two rivals who, if they bounce back on Tapeta, their favourite surface, can give the champ a major tussle.
Flag of Honour (Aus), last year’s Kennedy Road winner
In only his second race in North American, Flag of Honour, trained by Julia Carey, won the 2023 Kennedy Road with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure. The sizzling early pace was too much for Patches that day and Flag of Honour showed he could stay close to a wild half-mile split of 43.85 and power on to victory.
The Kennedy Road was just the second race for Flag of Honour on the all-weather track. He came back this spring was was a close second in the Thorncliffe Stakes before winning the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) on the lead.
Two turf stakes starts in the Connaught Cup (G2) in July and the Nearctic in early October did not go well for the gelding. But a poor trip and an ‘off’ turf course could be the reasons for his dull showings. The return to the Tapeta track, on which he is 4-2-1-1 could mean a much better effort is forthcoming. On Nov. 6, Flag of Honour worked four furlongs on the Tapeta in a rapid 46.60.
Nobals is back
Millionaire Nobals is a superstar when he’s good, but he can also go on a losing streak. The Kentucky-bred, trained by Larry Rivelli, has visited almost a dozen different racetracks in his career and in 2022, he won the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine in fast time.
The gelding was a three-year-old that season and sped the six furlongs in 1:08.15 (at first the teletimer read 1:07.63, but that proved to be erroneous, according to Daily Racing Form and Woodbine). Still, Nobals just missed breaking Pink Lloyd’s six-furlong mark.
Nobals came back to Woodbine in the summer of 2022, but he finished 12th in the Bold Venture Stakes (G3) and that race led to a long layoff. In 2023, Nobals became a five furlong turf specialist and his year ended with a 12-to-1 upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.
Rivelli brought Nobals back this summer at Saratoga and a layoff of almost nine moths, the gelding got tired after pressing the pace through a :43.60 half mile. He has been on the edges in two other turf sprints since then, one against the very talented Cogburn.
Nobals has two fast workout times on the Turfway Tapeta track since his latest outing and he could be very happy to get back on that footing at Woodbine.
The plays:
It will be a tough task for Flag of Honour or Nobals to get past Patches O’Houlihan, but they can contend on their best runs.
Try an exactor wager, $5, with (#2) Flag of Honour and (#4) Nobals on top of (#1) Patches O’Houlihan and the same two.
$5 Exactor part wheel 2, 4/1, 2, 4.
Take a shot with a $10 win bet on Flag of Honour.
Good luck with your bet365 wagers!
