Fort Erie: Dixie Strike rallies strongly to win Prince of Wales

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dixie Strike, rallying strongly down the center of the track, was a going-away one-length winner of Sunday’s $500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie.

The 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown that began with Woodbine’s 1 1/4-mile Queen’s Plate and concludes there with the Breeders’ Stakes over 1 1/2 miles of turf Aug. 5.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Patrick Husbands, Dixie Strike was one of two fillies in the nine-horse field for the Prince of Wales, along with Irish Mission, who was the 8-5 favorite.

Dixie Strike, also strongly supported at 5-2, benefitted from a strong early pace set by outsider Menlo Castle and forced by Colleen’s Sailor who had broken alertly from the outside post.

Meanwhile, Husbands took hold of Dixie Strike and was eighth of nine before launching a move on the far turn that would carry her to victory.

“This is a nice filly,” Husbands said. “I had a perfect trip. I tried not to get a lot of kickback, with it being her first time on dirt.

“Just before I swung for home, I wasn’t quite sure where I was going to go. But I swung her outside, and she showed her class.”

Ultimate Destiny stalked the pace from third early and battled gamely through the stretch to finish second, a half-length ahead of Colleen’s Sailor, who hung in gamely for third money.

Queasitor ran fourth, with Dead On, Irish Mission, Menlo Castle, Run in Aruba, and Classic Bryce rounding out the order of finish. The final time was a modest 1:57.54.

Dixie Strike, owned by John Oxley, picked up $300,000 to bring her career bankroll to $900,260.

She returned $7.90 and keyed a $84.50 exacta, $363.20 trifecta, and $940.15 superfecta.