Abeliefinthislivin gets first stakes win with Canadian Derby
Favored Abeliefinthislivin notched his first stakes in style on Saturday night at Century Mile by winning the Grade 3 Canadian Derby over a deep field under Amadeo Perez.
Abeliefinthislivin raced four-wide in a stalking position under the far turn in the 1 1/4-mile event, as Heroic Move set rapid fractions of 22.60, 47.05 and 1:10.89.
Abeliefinthislivin advanced into second entering the stretch and then hit the front near the sixteenth pole before drawing off to prevail by 2 1/2 lengths, in a time of 2:03.
American Blaze rallied steadily to secure second over Accidental Hero. Heroic Move faded to fourth and was followed by Sunbird, Tshiebwe, Mano Dura, Chase the Chaos, Flashin Aces, Altitude, Green Amazon and Kauai Dan.
A son of the late Arrogate, Abeliefinthislivin was coming off a fourth in the July 8 Los Alamitos Derby and was making his first start for trainer Barbara Heads, who sent him out to work five-eighths in 59.60 at Hastings on Aug. 18.
“I’ve only had the horse for a few weeks, and I watched all the replays on him,” Heads said. “He worked awesome last week when Amadeo got on him. He’ll break good and he wants to be close, but he doesn’t want to be asked early. He’s like a quarter-mile grind, and he’ll give you (a run). Amadeo did a great job with him.”
Abeliefinthislivin ($5.40) earned $120,000 of the $197,500 purse for Peter Redekop B C Ltd.
** Heads also captured the $99,500 Northlands Distaff with the brilliant Infinite Patience, who held off 74-1 bomb Orange Theory while winning the one-mile route for fillies and mares for the third year in a row. Antonio Reyes rode Infinite Patience ($2.60), who has won 17 of 23 starts and $700,100.
** Jamies Inheritance ($12.70) mowed down the favored Air Force in the final furlong to take the $99,000 Century Casino Oaks, with Jose Asencio riding for trainer Charlies Essex.
** Great Escape ($8.30) won the $100,000 Speed to Spare Championship Stakes. Trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 4-year-old was a late pick-up mount for Antonio Whitehall.
** The handle on the 12-race card Canadian Derby card was $1,886,188.
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