Admiralty Pier earns first stakes win in Display
TORONTO, December 2, 2017 – Admiralty Pier prevailed in a photo finish over Pipers Warrior after a stretch duel in the $100,000 Display Stakes for two-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine.
Jockey Luis Contreras was aboard the budding Barbara Minshall trainee, who earned his first stakes win for owners Bruce Lunsford and Hoolie Racing Stable.
Admiralty Pier raced three-wide early in the first turn and settled towards the back of the nine-horse field before swinging outside turning for home.
Meanwhile, Sable Island established the lead with Thunder Ride pressing to his outside through panels opening fractions of :23.69 and :48.65. Sent From Heaven tracked the front-runners and he came through inside past three-quarters in 1:13.65 to take over command.
However, Admiralty Pier launched his attack with early trailer Pipers Warrior closing to his inside. They pulled ahead down the stretch and dueled to the wire with Admiralty Pier winning in a head decision. The winning time was 1:44.52 over 1-1/16 miles on the Tapeta. Sent From Heaven finished third over race favourite Archaggelos.
“I got a perfect trip all the way. I was just waiting,” said Contreras after the race. “Once I pulled my horse outside, he just gave me everything on the end.”
Bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm, the chestnut English Channel-Full Steam Ahead gelding, Admiralty Pier started his career on a winning note in early August over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course and was stakes-placed in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes. He also competed in the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland finishing fourth over a sloppy track before returning to Woodbine only to be nosed out in a November 11 allowance race on the Tapeta track.
Both Contreras and Minshall anticipate a bright future for Admiralty Pier, who has matured greatly throughout his two-year-old campaign.
“Since the last start, he’s a different horse,” noted Contreras. “He used to lay in a lot. He used to try to get to the inside rail, but he’s getting better since the last time I rode him and I think next year will be a great year for him.”
“He’s matured a tonne,” said Minshall. “He’s just gotten better and better. He’s just a young, learning horse. I still think he’s better on the turf. I think he’s going to move up lengths and lengths on the turf, but he’s just getting better all the time. He’s going to have a little rest now and we’ll aim for the spring.”
Sent postward as the 2-1 second choice, Admiralty Pier paid $6.20, $3.90 and $3.30. He combined with Pipers Warrior ($9.60, $7.20) for a 6-2 exacta worth $68.90. A $1 trifecta of 6-2-5 (Sent From Heaven, $14.10) paid $696.35 and a $1 superfecta of 6-2-5-4 (Archaggelos) returned $3,264.15. Follow My Lead, Hoochiecoochie Sam, Sable Island, Thunder Ride and Marcus completed the field.
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Kingsport wins second Sir Barton Stakes title
TORONTO, December 2, 2017 – Kingsport, winner of the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes two years ago, swept by his rivals in the stretch to claim the 2017 edition of the stakes event for Ontario-sired horses three years old and up on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine.
Trained by Sid Attard for Goldmart Farms and Royal Laser Racing Inc., Kingsport went over the half-million dollar earnings mark with his first win of the season and seventh victory lifetime from 23 starts.
Kingsport raced mid-pack inside and was not involved in an accident that occurred in the final turn of the afternoon’s eighth race. Jockey Jesse Campbell sent the five-year-old Milwaukee Brew-Green Jewel gelding outside into the stretch and he stormed home a 2-1/2 length winner in 1:43.23 for 1-1/16 miles ahead of 2-5 favourite Mr Havercamp. Sent postward at odds of 7-1, Kingsport returned $16.80 to win.
The stewards upheld a claim of foul against Mr Havercamp for causing interference to Spirit of Caledon on the final turn and the favourite was disqualified and placed seventh. Roxy’s Vision inherited second-place and Ratface Macdougall was bumped up to third.
Conquest Cavalry, with Rafael Hernandez aboard, fell in the final turn and Freitag, with Luis Contreras, was unable to avoid him. Freitag was vanned home after the accident. Conquest Cavalry was injured and humanely euthanized.
Hernandez returned to action and won the afternoon’s 10th race finale with the Mark Casse-trained Edisto Island. Contreras, who won the $100,000 Display Stakes earlier in the day with Admiralty Pier for trainer Barbara Minshall, was cleared by EMS and headed home.
Edisto Island led the 6-11-8-4-3 winning combination for the Thoroughbred Jackpot Hi-5, which was hit for $134,230.22 (USD). A U.S.-based horseplayer made a $0.20 base bet for a total wager of $478.80 (USD).
PHOTOS:
Kingsport winning the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photography)
Admiralty Pier (#6) winning the $100,000 Display Stakes on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photography)
Woodbine Communications Office
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