Calgary Cat scores in Kennedy Road, draws closer to divisional title

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Calgary Cat seemingly nailed down the Sovereign Award for this year’s Canadian champion male sprinter after his explosive off-the-pace score in Sunday’s Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine.

With Eurico Da Silva aboard, Calgary Cat raced at the rear of the field early in the six-furlong dash, as Go Blue Or Go Home and Sparrowhawk battled through fast splits of 21.90 seconds and 44.15.

Calgary Cat began to mount a wide rally at the quarter pole. He came down the center of the track in the stretch, hitting the front at the sixteenth pole before drawing clear for a two-length win over Sharp Sensation, his main rival for divisional honors.

The final time of 1:08.46 was just 0.30 off the Polytrack record set by Essence Hit Man in 2011.

Calgary Cat returned $5 as the favorite. The flashy 4-year-old earned $120,000 of the $207,200 purse for owners Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman, who claimed him for a bargain $25,000 last November.

“He’s trained exceptionally well from the springtime,” said Kevin Attard, who trains Calgary Cat. “Obviously, I didn’t think he was going to be a multiple Grade 2 winner at that point, but we thought he had a good season coming ahead. I think we did it the right way and went through his conditions. He got his confidence and developed into a great horse.”

Black Hornet was promoted from fourth to third by the disqualification of Bear No Joke, who was placed fourth for interfering with Black Hornet in the stretch.