Archaggelos finds a seam to win Grey Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Archaggelos, Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown’s half-brother, rallied inside under Rafael Hernandez to upset Peppered in Sunday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Grey Stakes at Woodbine.

Archaggelos ($21) raced about five lengths off the lead on the backstretch while Like What I See set moderate fractions in the 1 1/16-mile route for 2-year-olds. Peppered, the 1-2 favorite, made a four-wide bid on the far turn as Archaggelos awaited room, and the latter split horses at the top of the stretch en route to a 2 1/4-length tally in 1:44.56.

“We saved ground all the way,” said winning rider Rafael Hernandez. “I didn’t want to go too wide. We just waited until a hole opened. It happened, and he went between horses like nothing.”

Peppered finished a clear second over the late-running 42-1 outsider Tale of Vienna. Piven weakened from a stalking position to finish fourth and was followed by Like What I See, Lookin to Strike, and Leopold.

Archaggelos, a Temple City colt based in Maryland with trainer Michael Dickinson, was coming off a maiden win on grass at Laurel. He earned $75,000 for owner Monticule, which bred the colt in Kentucky.