Admiralty Pier, Archaggelos settle things on track in Display Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Canadian champion 2-year-old male honors could be on the line Saturday at Woodbine, when Admiralty Pier clashes with Archaggelos over 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta in the $100,000 Display Stakes.

The Display Stakes is race 6 on the 10-race card and is followed two races later by the $125,000 Sir Barton Stakes.

After winning on grass here in his debut, Admiralty Pier finished a close third behind Untamed Domain in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes on turf here Sept. 17. His next race, the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland, was washed off the turf, yet he finished a respectable fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, after breaking from post 12 in the 14-horse field.

“We thought he ran really good in that race,” trainer Barb Minshall said. “He had a tough post. It was sloppy. He’s a turf horse, and we were hoping to get him onto the turf.”

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Admiralty Pier came wide from fifth to lose a seven-furlong allowance by a nose to Display rival Sable Island on the Tapeta here Nov. 11.

“I thought he’d win that race,” Minshall said. “He didn’t, but he ran well. He wants to go farther, and I do think he’s much better on the turf, but we’ll give this race a try, give him a little break in South Carolina, and then get him ready for the spring at Keeneland.”

Archaggelos graduated on the Laurel turf in his second start, then came here and won the Grade 3 Grey Stakes on Oct. 1 on the Tapeta. A victory in the Display would make him the leader for divisional honors.

KEY CONTENDERS

Admiralty Pier, by English Channel

Last 3 Beyers: 80-69-78

◗ Minshall pre-entered him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

“We would have gone had he gotten in,” Minshall said. “We were a couple down on the AE’s. If the Bourbon had stayed on the turf, and if he would have been second or third, I think he would have had enough points to get in.”

Archaggelos, by Temple City

Beyers: 77-68-53

◗ Trained by Michael Dickinson in Maryland, he is a half-brother to Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown.

Sable Island, by Stormy Atlantic

Beyers: 80-78-67

After upsetting Admiralty Pier in the Nov. 11 allowance, the speedy gelding figures to lead the way in his first venture around two turns.

Sir Barton Stakes

Mr Havercamp will be favored in the Sir Barton, a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, and a strong showing will bolster his case for Canadian champion 3-year-old male honors.

Mr Havercamp hasn’t raced on the Tapeta since his impressive debut score July 21. He’s exiting back-to-back victories in a pair of Ontario-sired turf stakes, crushing older rivals most recently in the Bunty Lawless. Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Mr Havercamp has won 4 of his 5 races, with his only loss a troubled-trip fifth in the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga.