Bear's Peak ready for next step

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear’s Peak had quite a coming-out party in the Oct. 11 Bull Page Stakes, which he won as a maiden while collecting a cool $75,000. He will move out from six to seven furlongs Wednesday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Frost King Stakes, and should be favored under Patrick Husbands.

Bear’s Peak, a handsome chestnut trained by Reade Baker, missed the break in his debut Sept. 6, and then rallied five-wide to finish just a length back in fifth, before galloping out strongly.

“I didn’t have him ready for his first race,” said Baker. “He didn’t break any good, and came real wide. It was really just an experience run.”

Bear’s Peak was much more prominent in the Bull Page, in which he came wide from a stalking position to prevail by a neck over in 1:09.99, a time which earned him a Beyer Speed Figure of 73.

“He’s doing good, but to run that fast and come back quick, I’m not keen on that,” said Baker.

Trainer Ralph Biamonte entered two sons of leading Ontario freshman sire Old Forester, Altius and Citius, who are not coupled.

The speedy Altius won his maiden second time out July 25, and subsequently notched a six-furlong allowance.

With David Clark aboard for the Bull Page, Altius dueled for the early lead with Molinaro Handsome during a quick opening quarter-mile, before taking control on the turn. He gave way grudgingly in the final sixteenth, losing by a neck to Bear’s Peak.

“He ran hard,” Biamonte said. “We just got beat by a better horse. [Molinaro Handsome] shot out of there, and David couldn’t get him to relax that well. He didn’t get a breather.”

Citius came from well back to end up second when he debuted in a five-furlong dash Sept. 6. Most recently under Emile Ramsammy in the Bull Page, he rallied inside from ninth to finish 5 1/2 lengths back in fourth.

Biamonte predicted that Citius will be more forwardly placed in the Frost King.

“We’re going to have different tactics for him,” Biamonte explained. In the Bull Page, he said, “we sat back, because we didn’t want to press Altius. Emile said he didn’t like the [kickback] hitting him in his face, and if we didn’t have him back so far that he might have run a little better. He was closing when he got clear.”