Armistice Day faces four in Victoria Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The exciting prospect Armistice Day will take on just four other 2-year-olds on Saturday at Woodbine in the $100,000 Victoria Stakes, which has been lengthened from five to 5 1/2 furlongs this year.

Armistice Day, a son of Declaration of War and Grade 1 winner Harmony Lodge, was highly regarded by trainer Barb Minshall well before he made his only start July 1.

“I was at Keeneland for the spring meet,” Minshall recalled. “We brought him there without the intent to run him, just to get him going. He trained well over the winter. He’s a big, strong colt. Right from the get-go, we really liked him. So far, he’s done everything right. He can get a little ‘colty,’ but he’s trained really professionally.”

After breaking from the rail July 1 here in a five-furlong maiden special, Armistice Day came wide from seventh to win going away by 5 1/2 lengths under Luis Contreras.

“I knew he wasn’t going to be super quick from the gate, because he’s such a big horse,” Minshall said. “At least he broke with the field, and Luis got to work out a good trip. He got the chance to have a free run down the lane. He’s got a good turn of foot. He’s probably going to be a two-turn horse. You can hardly pull him up when you gallop him, and he gallops out far when he works.”

The Victoria goes as race 8 on a 10-race card.

KEY CONTENDERS

Armistice Day, by Declaration of War
Beyer: 73

◗ Minshall said she isn’t overly concerned with running him back in 13 days.

“I think he can come back on short notice here,” Minshall said. “We’ll give him a month off after this race, and then take him to Saratoga for the dirt and see what happens there. If he doesn’t look like he’s as good on the dirt, then we might come back for the Summer Stakes. He trains well enough on the dirt that you can’t not try it at some point.”

The Newfie Express, by Victor’s Cry
Beyers: 55-37

◗ After ending up third in his opener, he was a front-running second behind Armistice Day.

“First time out, he got into a little trouble,” owner-trainer Alex Patykewich said. “He ran much better the second time. He loves to have competition. He didn’t see that horse coming on the outside, but he wasn’t going to beat that one anyway.”

Wallace, by Run Away and Hide
Last 3 Beyers: 60-56-36

◗ He was supplemented by trainer Sid Attard after being purchased privately following a maiden win at Presque Isle Downs June 27 in his third start.