Duckduckduck ($74.50) uses wide rally to upset Clarendon Stakes
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Duckduckduck went from his slow maiden score to taking the $150,500 Clarendon Stakes at 36-1 under Emma-Jayne Wilson on Sunday at Woodbine.
Duckduckduck raced well back on the outside early in the six-furlong sprint while Big Bold and First dueled with Reload Raleigh through quick fractions.
The favored maiden Mister Blue made a three-wide bid to join Reload Raleigh up front in the stretch as Duckduckduck began to mount a wide rally.
Reload Raleigh took over from a tiring Mister Blue inside the eighth pole before Duckduckduck came flying late to prevail by 2 1/2 lengths, in a time of 1:12.12.
Big Time Boss closed for third and Princecrest nosed out Mister Blue for fourth in the nine-horse field of Ontario-bred or Ontario-sired juveniles.
“This horse showed to me right from the get-go how aware he was — full of focus and confidence,” Wilson said. “He was playing around a little in the gate — he wanted to go. But the awareness and focus was brilliant. The kickback was a bit hard, so we went a little wider. He handled everything brilliantly.”
Duckduckduck ($74.50) earned $90,000 for owner Sue Leslie. Winning trainer Evette Chartrand-Hoek said she wasn’t surprised by the performance put forth by the gelded son of Silent Name.
“After he broke his maiden, he was different horse,” Chartrand-Hoek said. “He was a strong horse. He was professional. My gallop-boy gave me a lot of confidence. I thought he was the sleeper of the race.”
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