Amis Gizmo makes amends in Prince of Wales

Amis Gizmo, second as the favorite in the prestigious Queen’s Plate, made amends as the chalk in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown with a dominating score in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Tuesday.

With Luis Contreras aboard, Amis Gizmo stalked the dueling leaders All On Red and Narrow Escape through rapid splits of 22.79 and 46.48 in the mile and a three-sixteenths dirt route. Contreras made an early move on the far turn to open up a substantial lead, and Amis Gizmo was never threatened in the stretch, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths, in a time of 1:56.76.

“This horse is amazing,” said Contreras, who escaped injury in a spill at Woodbine last Sunday. “He did it today. He got his revenge. He handled [the dirt] perfect. Last Tuesday, when I came here and breezed him, he worked great. I knew he was going to run good on this surface.”

Leavem in Malibu trailed on the first turn, before mounting a wide rally for second, and 29-1 shot Niigon’s Edge wound up another 3 3/4 lengths back in third. Queen’s Plate winner Sir Dudley Digges finished a well-beaten sixth in the eight-horse field of Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Amis Gizmo ($4.70) earned $300,000 for owner Ivan Dalos, who bred the son of Giant Gizmo and his broodmare sire, Victory Gallop.

It was the first Prince of Wales triumph for trainer Josie Carroll, who has won the Plate twice.

“We’ve always believed in this horse,” said Carroll. "He maybe got a little tired, but he fought in the Queen’s Plate. We were as proud of him then as we are now.”

Carroll was noncommittal about running Amis Gizmo back in the final Triple Crown race, the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes going a mile and a half on the turf at Woodbine Aug. 21. The handsome chestnut has yet to compete on the grass.

* Dancing On Fire ($5.90) notched her first stakes under Contreras in the supporting feature on the card, the $75,000 Rainbow Connection Stakes, a five-furlong dash for Ontario-sired females which was taken off the turf.