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Sovereign Awards Derby & Auction Prices Santa Anita Derby Day Wood Memorial Day Kentucky Derby Contenders |
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 Rafael Hernandez leaps off March to the Arch in the winner's circle after the King Edward Stakes Oaks Day Part 1 - Woodbine Oaks, Plate Trial, and Bold Venture Stakes |
There were two Grade 2 stakes on the E.P. Taylor turf course on the undercard of Woodbine Oaks day at Woodbine. Conditions were excellent with sunny skies with a temperature of 28 C (82 F), and the course going firm (GoingStick 11.5). A field of 8 older horses went to post for the $175,000 King Edward Stakes (G2) at one mile around one turn, the main local prep for the Woodbine Mile on September 12. Delaware was sent off as the lukewarm 2-1 favorite, winless since the Prix Daphnis (G3) at Deauville a year ago, and 2nd in an allowance at Belmont last out. In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Mr Ritz, winner of the Seagram Cup (G3), and 7-2 third choice March to the Arch, winless since the Sunshine Millions Turf in January but 6th in the Wise Dan (G2) last out.
 Down the stretch with March to the Arch rallying on the outside. |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 2 March to the Arch Hernandez 9.60 4.10 3.10 7 Admiralty Pier Bahen 7.60 4.60 3 Silent Poet Stein 2.90 Winning Time: 1:32.28 $1 Exacta 2-7 34.65 $0.20 Trifecta 2-7-5 24.93 $0.20 Superfecta 2-7-5-3 76.50 |
Left: March to the Arch in the winner's circle. Kathryn Sullivan, assistant to winning trainer Mark Casse said, "It is [good to see him get a graded stakes win], he's such a lovely little horse, he tries every time. He's just really special. You know, the race at Churchill (Wise Dan) was a really tough race; a lot of good horses came out of that race, so it looks a little better, but he's just such a nice horse. He tries every time."
Right: March to the Arch gets hosed off after the race.
Left: March to the Arch heads out of the paddock before the race. Sullivan added, "Rafael rode a great race -- three stakes in a row for him today, so he's certainly riding well. I just thought he rode a really smart race, took his time, waited until he got his spot. I think he came out of the gate a little awkward, bumping with another horse but Rafael's so smart, he doesn't get panicked, just took his time and waited for the right moment to pull the trigger."
Right: March to the Arch returns after the race.
Left: Second place finisher Admiralty Pier heads out of the paddock before the race. The Barbara Minshall trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds in 21 starts, earning $323,708 for owners Hoolie Racing Stable and Bruce Lunsford.
Right: Third place finisher Silent Poet returns after the race. The Nick Gonzalez trainee improved his record to 8 wins, 4 seconds, and 2 thirds in 16 starts, earning $475,573 for owner-breeder Stronach Stables.
Fifth place finisher and beaten favorite Delaware returns after the race. The Chad Brown trainee has a record of 3 wins, 4 seconds, and 1 third in 14 starts, earning $149,041 for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms.
Kicking off the Saturday stakes quintet was the $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares going 1 1/4 miles on the turf as a prep for the E.P. Taylor Stakes on October 18. Etoile was sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of 6 off her 8th place finish in the Gamely (G1) at Santa Anita. In to challenge her included 2-1 second choice Elizabeth Way, winner of the Nassau (G2), and 5-1 third choice Romantic Pursuit, 3rd in an allowance at Keeneland after finishing 2nd in The Very One (G3) at Gulfstream.
Jockey Justin Stein sent 11-1 Theodora B. to the lead on the clubhouse incline and she set easy fractions of 26.89, 51.80, 1:16.24, and 1:39.48 while pressed by Elizabeth Way and stalked by Etoile. Entering the stretch, Theodora B. continued to lead through 9f in 1:50.61. Etoile attempted to close late but Theodora B. held her off by 3/4 length in 2:02.35. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Elizabeth Way third.
Results Chart
Left: Theodora B. in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Justin Stein said, "I knew someone would have to really be running, another horse would have to really be running to get by her. She was giving me everything she had, and I had a lot of horse left in the tank. She showed her pump the whole way down the stretch."
Right: Theodora B. heads back to the barn after the race.
Left: Theodora B. in the post parade. Stein added, "We wanted to win, for sure. Pretty confident in her; I galloped her yesterday and she's a real efficient mover, big long stride. We were covering a lot of ground but she wasn't doing much in the gallop, so I knew what I had today. I talked to the trainer (Michael Dickinson) on the way in and, unfortunately, our plans at the beginning of the race were mixed up. She wanted to leave and I had to go with it but she just kept running, a lot of power."
Right: Theodora B. returns after the race.
Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Etoile exits the paddock before the race. The Chad Brown trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 0 thirds in 9 starts, earning $181,398 for owners Peter Brant, Mrs. M.V. Magnier, and Mrs. Paul Shanahan.
Right: Third place finisher Elizabeth Way returns after the race. The Roger Attfield trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 11 starts, earning $219,558 for owner John McCormack.
Oaks Day Part 1 - Woodbine Oaks, Plate Trial, and Bold Venture Stakes
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