Can’thelpbelieving bounces back with Sky Classic win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Can’thelpbelieving’s first trip to Woodbine on July 29 was a frustrating second as the favorite in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes. He made amends Sunday with an easier-than-looked score in the Grade 2, $175,000 Sky Classic.

Can’thelpbelieving ($4.10) had a lovely inside stalking trip under Joe Bravo, as Dragon Bay and Starship Jubilee dueled through moderate fractions in the 11-furlong turf event.

Can’thelpbelieving began to mount a wide rally exiting the far turn, and then hit the front at the three-sixteenths pole before drawing clear to prevail in a hand-timed clocking of 2:14.95. Noble Thought came charging late from fifth to finish 1 1/4 lengths back in second, as Pumpkin Rumble edged out a fading Dragon Bay for third in the six-horse field.

“He’s a pro,” Bravo said. “He’s kind of like a barn bet, because he has that laid-back personality, and takes everything in stride. But when he needs to, he kind of jumps into it, like you saw at the top of the lane today. It made my job really easy.”

Can’thelpbelieving, an Irish-bred son of Duke of Marmalade trained by Graham Motion, collected $105,000 for owner Albert Frassetto.