Conquest Pacemaker all the way in Toronto Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Fresh off an impressive maiden score, Conquest Pacemaker went right to the front and never looked back to take the $131,500 Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

Conquest Pacemaker ($21.30) set a moderate pace under Eurico Da Silva and maintained a clear lead all the way to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:46.08 for about nine furlongs on grass.

The Ontario-bred Lucky Lindy found traffic in the stretch before closing for second, an effort that likely earned him a shot in next month’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes. Flashaway finished third, and the favored shipper Indebted was a non-threatening fifth in the seven-horse field of 3-year-olds.

Conquest Pacemaker banked $75,000 for Conquest Stable and trainer Mark Casse, who sent him out to graduate the second time out here July 11. It was the first time that Da Silva had been on the Kentucky-bred colt.

“The horse was ready to run,” Da Silva said. “He just took the lead and went very easy. He was very comfortable. He was running very strong, and I had a little horse left to fight on at the end. He’s a very nice horse.”