English Actor takes early lead all the way in Niagara Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - English Actor went straight to the front under Fraser Aebly and never looked back to capture the $147,500 Niagara Stakes in course-record time on Saturday at Woodbine.

English Actor ($18.60) set moderate fractions in the 1 3/8-mile inner turf route with shipper Summer Cause and Roscar in close proximity. English Actor was never seriously threatened and got home on top by 1 3/4 lengths over another Chiefswood Stables homebred, Side Street.

Swift Delivery, owned in part by NFL star Travis Kelce, rallied outside for third. Sultana, the lone mare in the field, finished fourth ahead of Dancin in Da’nile, favored Truly Quality, Chiefswood’s Roscar, Faber, Junipero Serra, Summer Cause, and Twowaycrossing.

English Actor’s final time of 2:14.47 was .93 faster than the previous record, set by Haunted Dream last year.

Chiefswood general manager Robert Landry and Aeby came up with a plan before the race.

“Me and Rob talked and once we got him out there, we thought he’d settle and come back to me,” Aebly said. “He seemed to do that very well.”

By English Channel, English Actor earned $90,000 in his first stakes score for trainer Rachel Halden.

“He’s an English Channel, and they’re gallopers,” Landry pointed out. “We expected them all to run well today and they did.”

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