To commemorate its 50th anniversary as well as salute Canada's greatest equine athlete, Woodbine Racetrack inaugurated the $700,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf (G2) on Sunday, July 23. Seven older horses, each a descendent of Northern Dancer, went to the gate facing a 1 1/2 mile trip around the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. New York shippers Revved Up and Porfido were sent off at 8-5 and 3-1 respectively, while Singspiel Stakes winner Jambalaya at 4-1 led the home team. Heavy rains that afternoon forced the cancellation of dirt racing, but both turf stakes were contested as scheduled over a course rated soft.
The longest shot on the board, 14-1 Last Answer, was loose on the lead most of the way, as the Gus Schickedanz colorbearer set slow fractions of 25.50, 50.94, 1:16.33, 1:42.38, and 2:08.16 over the tiring course while as many as eight lengths clear of the tightly-packed remainder of the field. Through the stretch, Last Answer began to tire while 9-2 Sky Conqueror was just hitting his best stride and was closing strongly down the center of the course. In the last 30 yards, Sky Conqueror surged ahead to prevail by just 1/2 a length at he line, getting the distance in a very slow 2:34.36.
Results Chart from DRF
