Fantasy win caps perfect season for Infinite Patience

VANCOUVER, British Columbia– Infinite Patience didn’t have any trouble stretching out to a mile and a sixteenth for the first time in the $75,000 Fantasy for 2-year-old fillies at Hastings last Sunday. In fact, the 78 Beyer Speed Figure she received is her career best, and once again she did it without much encouragement from Antonio Reyes.

The only nudge from Reyes came approaching the quarter pole when he wanted Infinite Patience to take over from Miss Prospector. The response from the Barbara Heads-trained daughter of Sungold was immediate, and the race was over. She is now a perfect 5 for 5 with an average winning margin of just over seven lengths.

The final time of 1.44.16 is a stakes record, and considering how easily she does everything her future appears to be very bright.

“She has done enough as a 2-year-old, so we are going to turn her out for the winter and bring her back here next year,” said Heads. “Her races haven’t been hard on her, but she is pretty intense when she trains. It will be nice to bring her back as a fresh horse next year.”

Infinite Patience received some national exposure when her name was brought up during the Sportsnet One television coverage of the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks game Monday.

She is owned by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a center for the Oilers, who were undefeated in five games until the Blackhawks beat them 3-1.

“I didn’t see it, but I got a lot of calls about it,” said Heads. “It was shown right at the end of the second intermission. I thought it was pretty cool to see her and Hastings get some exposure. It was too bad Ryan couldn’t be here for the Fantasy. He’s is very enthusiastic about racing and he’s obviously pretty excited about her.”

Trainer Dave Forster said Capilano Canyon would also take the winter off following his win in the $75,000 Ascot Graduation on Monday. It was the first stakes win for the British Columbia-bred son of Abraaj.

In his previous start he probably would have won the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity with a clean trip.

He couldn’t have had a better trip in the mile and sixteenth Ascot. He broke well, saved ground while stalking an honest and contested pace, and had clear sailing when he went three wide while making his winning move on the stretch turn.

“I was confident he would get the distance,” said Forster. “He has good speed, but he can rate, and he finished full of run in the Futurity. Plus, he is bred to run all day.”

Capilano Canyon is out of the Heads-trained Remarkable Miss, who finished second in the 2007 Fantasy behind Dancing Allstar, who received the Sovereign Award for being the to 2-year-old filly in Canada. Remarkable Miss went on to win a couple of route stakes as a 3-year-old.