 |
 Portcullis winner of the 2002 Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine |
Dateline: 08/10/02
The final leg of Canada's Triple Crown, the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, was run Saturday at Woodbine. Unlike the US, this final leg is run on the turf instead of the dirt, so there were many new faces for this race. The winners of the first two legs, TJ's Lucky Moon in the Queen's Plate and Le Cinquieme Essai in the Prince of Wales, were not entered. In fact, the only runner to contest all three races was Anglian Prince who was second then third in the first two.
Portcullis, the 9-10 favourite, used his powerful stretch kick to edge a game El Soprano by a neck. Mountain Beacon, a stable and entrymate of Portcullis, was 5 lengths back in third. Skillfully ridden by Slade Callaghan, Portcullis was ninth early in the race, though never far back of longshot pacesetters Rum Splasher and Aspen Ridge. As the 10-horse field rounded the final turn for the stretch run, the native of Barbados steered the chestnut out of traffic to engage El Soprano for Breeders' bragging rights. After Portcullis stumbled slightly, the sons of Smart Strike and El Soprano separated themselves from the pack, in a classic head-to-head duel. The final running time of the 1 1/2-mile turf event was a solid 2:29.80.
The race gave owner Sam-Son Farm their fifth stakes win on the Woodbine meet. The victory represented the fifth Breeders' win for Sam-Son Farm (1987, 1988, 1991, 1996), third for trainer Mark Frostad (1995, 1996) and the first for jockey Slade Callaghan. Sam-Son Farm is donating 10% of the purse money earned by Portcullis and Mountain Beacon to the Barn 7 Recovery Fund, a relief effort created for those who suffered immeasurable losses in last Sunday's tragic barn fire at Woodbine.
|
Purse: $500,000 Distance: 1 1/2 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1A Portcullis Callaghan 3.80 2.50 2.80 9 El Soprano Landry 4.20 4.30 1 Mountain Beacon Kabel 3.80 2.50 2.80
|
Portcullis in the post parade. This was his third straight stakes win this year and his fifth turf victory in 2002. His trainer Mark Frostad said: "Portcullis has been very busy this year. Now it's probably time to give him a little break and start thinking about next year."
Second place finisher El Soprano in the post parade. His jockey Robert Landry said: "I was happy with the way my horse ran. I had a perfect trip. He's been improving every start and every work. Come fall, he might be one to be reckoned with."
From a Woodbine Entertainment press release.
Photos ©2002 Cindy Pierson Dulay, licensed to About.
