Lou Tucci and his uncle Carlo have mastered the art of the claiming game. Well, okay, the Ontario horse owners have had their share of unlucky purchases over the years but it was one of those so-called “bad claims” that lured them to their greatest buy of all, Midnight Aria, their 2013 Queen’s Plate winner.

On July 7 at Woodbine racetrack, their long striding Ontario-bred colt, picked up for $35,000 (U.S.) after a grass race at Gulfstream Park in Florida less than five months ago, tow-roped 11 other rivals from start to finish to collect the bulk of the $1,001,600 (Can.) Plate purse.

Midnight Aria, bred in Acton, ON by Yvonne Schwabe, was let go at 16 to 1 by a very large and raucous crowd that got soaked by monsoon-like rain just two hours before the race. Most of race prognosticators admitted that the son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) champion Midnight Lute – Shebandowana, by Mt. Magazine would be the lone speed runner. Then, when the colt drew the rail post, had noted speed rider Jesse Campbell on board and got a Polytrack that was packed and speed favouring after the rain, the race was essentially over by the first turn. The result was only ever in question in the final yards when heavily favoured Up With the Birds, from the powerful Sam-Son Farms, came from miles behind with a late charge, only to come up short by half a length.

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