GALLANT

EXCAPER fought on to win the Grade 2 CONNAUGHT CUP at Woodbine over SOMETHING EXTRA and a closing LAUGH TRACK (pink). NORM FILES PHOTO

ECLIPSE STAKES today at Woodbine – for picks and more don’t forget to visit http://jmbets.ca!

 
THE GREAT EXCAPER! – 101 Beyer in first stakes win

There was something satisfying, as strictly a horse racing fan, to watch EXCAPER battle back on to scratch out a win in the $200,000 Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday. He had pushed the hot pace set by himself and SOMETHING EXTRA, winner of the last 2 Connaughts, and both guys battled it out to the sire.
SOMETHING EXTRA had the lead late in the race after dropping back a bit in early stretch, by Justin Stein coaxed Excaper to re-bid. Th grey 5-year-old horse, who had that heroic run when 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf 3 years ago, was winning for the 5th time in his 17th race and it was his first stakes win.
Owned by Richard Kaster and Fred Weitling Excaper is trained by Ian Black. The horse is a homebred by Exchange Rate out of Canadian mare Ada Ruckus, by Bold Ruckus.
He has been 2nd or 3rd in numerous events but his form has been getting better since he shortened up in distance. The 7 furlongs of the Connaught is just right for this horse who almost set a course record – 1:19.53 just off Soaring Free’s time of 1:19.38.

Something Extra ran a huge race as he usually does for John Menary and Gail Cox and there was quite a wake up run from Laugh Track, who had been dull form in Kentucky but was returning to grass for just the 3rd time in his career. The half brother to Commissioner (who is in the Belmont Stakes), was a fast closing 3rd.

MORE SATURDAY:  Beginner posts 91 Beyer Speed Figure..

Nothing wrong with speed on this card and in fact, so many of the races featured field that were very well strung out during the race with not a lot of late movement from closers.

One horse that did close a bit of ground was the 2-year-old filly SWEET DREAMS, who won her debut in the 1st race at 4 1/2 furlongs with a very brave rally up the rail. The Keeneland yearling purchase ($67,000) was 1st time Lasix and had a ton of good workout times coming into her debut. It was no surprise she was pounded down to 3 to 5 and she was an easy selection in the race. John Menary and Gail Cox own the Candy Ride filly.

CARELESS WORD led all the way to win race 2, an 8,000 claiming race for fillies and mares that have not win 3 races. The winner, a $10,000 claim from her season opener win in April, was unplaced in her latest but made easy work of this field with apprentice rider KATY MORRISON getting her first win of the season. Norm McKnight trains Careless Word, who is by Bold Executive.

What a debut for TAP FOR AMI. This bay won his career debut, starting for the first time as a 4-year-old in this maiden $40,00 claiming race and his time of 1:16.88 translated into a whopping 91 BEYER SPEED FIGURE according to DAILY RACING FORM.
He won by more than 5 lengths over favoured Might Sky, who was another 9 lengths ahead of the 3rd horse, beginner Handsome Cowboy.
The son of Pleasant Tap is a half brother to unbeaten stakes winner Aragorn Ami and he was prepared for this debut by Mike DePaulo, who  is a 10% debut trainer but it was his first beginner to win since 2012. Ivan Dalos ownes and bred this 4yo and Luis Contreras rode. The winner was 3 wide and on the pace the entire trip.
It continues to be a big year for Dalos and his homebreds. While Aragorn Ami has hit the sidelines since her stakes win at Oaklawn, Ami’s Holiday is a Queen’s Plate contender and who knows where this colt will end up next – not likely for claiming!

Race 4 – Contested pace duel in this $8,000 claiming race and the one who was widest in it, GO WES GO, won the race to become the first winner for trainer John LeBlanc this year. The 4yo gelding by Philanthropist was dumped from the allowance/optional claiming class to this level and apprentice Sheena Ryan was the winning rider for owner/breeder William Gierkink.

Race 5 – On the grass for an allowance race, first level, and a slow pace worked against some of the runners while TWO TO TANGO won by a head with a rail press trip over stalker HOLY EMPRESS. The winner is owned by Jim and Susan Hill and trained by Brian Lynch. This is a filly who took a long time to come around but long races, and now grass, are her thing. Davy Moran rode the filly well and she is by Tapit.

Race 6 – Go go GADGETT – MADAM GADGETT that is. Big Win racing and trainer Laurie Silver celebrated as this gal won the $12,500 claiming race, plunging in class from ontario sired allowance (and exiting a key race).  The winner pressed the pace from the rail, chased an 80 to 1 shot to the stret

ch run and powered on past to win over  Royal Privilege. Omar Moreno was the winning rider.

Race 7 – The speed trend continued as REXTON dueled 2 wide throughout 7 furlongs and would not let anyone by in the stretch to win for the red hot stable of JOHN MATTINE, who trains this one for RCC RACING and ROCCO FORGIONE. This 4yo colt is by Philanthropist out of Brooke’s Bubble by Rink Das and he was bred by Beata Grodkowska. The colt was a $14,000 weanling purchase in 2011 and he was making his 2nd start of the season.
Chantal Sutherland Kruse has been on a roll of late and once she had the lead on this colt she stood pat and made sure he won by more than a bob.

Race 9 – It was a day for watching a lot of brave horses and how about CHILKOOT PASS and RONALDINO battling to the wire in this $62,50 claiming.,
It may have been the bottom of the class ladder but these guys are wonderful horses that have done well for their interests. Chilkoot Pass has been owned and trained by David Morden for some

time and while the 8-year-old did not win in 15 races last season, he did come close with some big Beyer Figures. He had run poorly in his Apr. 25 opener this season but had broken last of 10 from the gate.

Unfortunately for long time owner Morden, Chilkoot Pass was claimed by Alan Bird. Ronaldino was making his first start as a 10year-old and was just edged in only his 35th race. He is owned by Mark Fournier and Dan Burwell.

Race 10 – Maidens going 1 1/16 miles for $25,000 and a well prepared beginner won – DOONUNDURRUS, a homebred for Dr Paul O’Brien, who stalked and pressed the pace all the way and won under Jesse Campbell. Steve Attard trains the son of Sligo Bay (Ire) out of Majestic Strike by Smart Strike. The colt’s full brother is Demawatchme, who is getting close to winning his maiden. The Wilko colt Melmich ran a big race to be a closing 2nd.

Betting on the day was $3.6 million.