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Paco Lopez 4000 wins Woodbine Turf Showcase Woodward Stakes Day Pennsylvania Derby Day Mohawk Million Night |
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 Jockey Jose Campos celebrates aboard Vitality after the 2024 Prince of Wales Stakes. |
The 89th renewal of the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown for 3-year-olds foaled in Canada, was run Tuesday afternoon at Fort Erie Racetrack over a distance of 1 3/16 miles on the main track. Conditions were typical for mid September at the "border oval", with sunny skies and a race time temperature of 23.9 C (75 F). The track was muddy at the start of the card due to overnight rain but soon dried to fast in time for the stakes races, with the turf course yielding. Despite the smaller attendance compared to recent years, more than $700,000 was bet on the Prince of Wales itself and total handle of the 11-race card topped $3 million, both the second highest in history.
 Eventual winner Vitality takes the lead in the stretch. |
Jockey Rafael Hernandez sent filly and 13-2 fourth choice Airosa to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.22, 47.19, and 1:11.40 while pressed by 16-1 Wyoming Bill and stalked by 17-2 Passioned and Essex Serpent. Turning for home, Airosa continued to lead through 1 mile in 1:36.40. 9-1 Vitality, fifth early under Jose Campos, came out 6 wide for room and rallied by to win going away by 4 lengths in 1:55.72. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to late-running Bedard third, while favorite Essex Serpent failed to rally and finished last beaten 28 3/4 lengths.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 2 Vitality Campos 20.10 8.60 5.50 1 Airosa Hernandez 8.20 7.20 7 Bedard Civaci 5.40 Winning Time: 1:55.72 $1 Exacta 2-1 87.65 $2 Trifecta 2-1-7 1,041.30 $2 Superfecta 2-1-7-42 6,489.00 |
Left: Vitality in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Harold Ladouceur, celebrating his first Canadian Triple Crown race win said, "We knew he had the pedigree for this track and we were really confident. I think the (dirt) surface mattered. There were little setbacks here and there, we came to the conclusion let's run him."
Right: The trophy presentation for the Prince of Wales Stakes.
Left: Vitality in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Jose Campos, also celebrating his first Canadian Triple Crown race win, said, "Everyone knows my horse is kind of lazy. I talked about it with Harold about being just behind the pace. I put my horse in a good spot and when I asked him to make a run he responded really well. So going in, I just listened to everything the trainer told me, and tried to keep that in mind."
Right: Vitality parades for the fans with his flowers.
Left: Trainer Harold Ladouceur gives jockey Jose Campos a kiss. Ladouceur, who is a member of the Moosomin and Kikino Métis settlements, added, "This is huge. I believe I'm the first Indigenous trainer to win the Prince of Wales. I'm so proud to be Indigenous. I'm just a kid from tiny little Lac La Biche (in Alberta), but I feel like I've joined a very elite group, and to do that as an Indigenous man, it feels amazing."
Right: Vitality heads back to the barn after the race. Ladouceur said he may go next in the Breeders' Stakes on September 29. "It certainly will be (a possibility). He has a lot of confidence and this was a booster for him."
Left: Second place finisher Airosa returns after the race. The Kevin Attard trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 7 starts, earning $174,838 for owners X-Men Racing III, StarLadies Racing, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.
Right: Third place finisher Bedard heads out of the paddock. The Kevin Attard trainee improved his record to 0 wins, 3 seconds, and 1 third in 7 starts, earning $72,556 for owners X-Men Racing III, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.
Left: Last place place finisher and beaten favorite Essex Serpent crosses the finish 28 3/4 lengths behind. The Mark Casse trainee has a record of 2 wins, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 5 starts, earning $138,866 for owner-breeders Manfred and Penny Conrad.
Right: The horses break from the gate for the Prince of Wales Stakes.
The $100,000 Lake Erie Stakes featuring a field of eight Ontario-sired 3-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs. 32-1 Its Time to Shine was quickest out of the chute through an opening quarter of 22.79 before 2-1 second choice Junior Hot Shot took over through a half in 45.29 pressed by Its Time to Shine and stalked by 20-1 Frac Right and 7-4 favorite Live Lucky. Turning for home Junior Hot Shot continued to lead through 3/4 in 1:09.93, and kept to task by Justin Stein, held off late-running 9-1 Yacht Boy to win by a length in 1:16.52. It was a head back to Its Time to Shine third, while favorite Live Lucky tired late to finish 7th beaten 18 lengths.
The John Ross trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 8 starts, earning $165,856 for owner T and T Racing Team.
The $100,000 Rondeau Bay Stakes featured a field of seven Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies also sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Jockey Justin Stein sent 10-1 Frac Amour to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 23.23 and 46.41 while pressed by 5-2 second choice Little Teddy and stalked by 11-1 Tabloid Material. Into the stretch Frac Amour continued to lead through 3/4 in 1:10.65 and held off late-running 6-5 favorite War Painter to win by a length in 1:17.16. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Little Teddy third.
The Julie Mathes trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 0 thirds in 8 starts, earning $67,606 for owner Bruno Schickedanz.
Immediately before the Prince of Wales, the $30,000 Molson Cup Stakes is restricted to older fillies and mares with at least two Fort Erie starts in 2024, going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. 4-1 third choice Emerald Lake was quickest away through an opening quarter of 24.65 before 77-1 longest shot T'pring briefly led down the backstretch through a half in 50.30, pressed by Emerald Lake and stalked by 8-5 favorite Glitter Bay and 13-1 Turf and Surf. On the far turn Turf and Surf gained the front through 3/4 in 1:15.52. Into the stretch, 7-4 second choice Sweet Serenade, last early, swept to the lead 4 wide through 1 mile in 1:42.31 but 25-1 Menagerie, 5th early under Pietro Moran, came through between horses late to rally by for the 1 1/2 length win in 1:49.20. It was another 2 lengths back to Turf and Surf third, while favorite Glitter Bay tired late to finish 7th beaten 29 1/4 lengths.
The Ken Albu trainee improved her record to 4 wins, 5 seconds, and 4 thirds in 29 starts, earning $97,239 for owner Six Brothers Stable.
Kicking off the Tuesday afternoon stakes quintet, the $30,000 Le Cinquieme Essai Cup Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs is restricted to older horses who have started at least twice at Fort Erie this year. 6-1 fourth choice Nameofthegame was quickest out of the chute through an opening quarter of 22.53 before 1-2 favorite Victory March swept to the lead 5-wide on the far turn through a half in 44.80 pressed by Nameofthegame and stalked by 5-1 second choice Vinnie Van Go. Under jockey Edgar Centeno, Victory March drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths over 6-1 third choice Where Is Essa in 1:15.69. It was another 7 1/2 lengths back to 12-1 Four Aces High third.
The John Simms trainee improved his record to 6 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds in 22 starts, earning $122,429 for owner Tony Gaito.
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