Woodbine: River Seven earns first career victory in Grey

Michael Burns

River Seven, under Eurico Da Silva, earns 10 qualifying points for the 2013 Kentucky Derby by winning the Grey.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — River Seven graduated in style Sunday at Woodbine in the $224,800 Grey Stakes, winning the 1 1/16-mile route for 2-year-olds with determination under Eurico Da Silva.

Previously unbeaten Uncaptured, the 2-5 favorite, finished a fading sixth, which led to some large show payoffs in the Grade 3 event. River Seven returned $16.60 to win and $18 to show as the third choice in the six-horse field.

River Seven tracked the leading Five Iron through moderate splits, and then hit the front at the eighth pole before holding off a wide-closing Tesseron to prevail by three-quarters of a length, in 1:43.98. Indiano Jones rallied belatedly on the outside to finish another neck back in third, while Five Iron faded to fourth. 

Uncaptured’s rider, Patrick Husbands, claimed foul on the winner for interference in mid-stretch, which was disallowed.

“He broke very sharp,” said Da Silva. “He sat very close to the lead, and I moved a little early, because I was concerned with [Five Iron]. My horse never stopped kicking, and he galloped out very strong, too.  He’s a very nice horse.”

River Seven earned $144,000 for Tucci Stable and trainer Nick Gonzalez.

The Grey offers qualifying points for the 2013 Kentucky Derby, and the first four finishers received 10-4-2-1 points, respectively.