G T Five Hundred ($64.20) lands upset score in Connaught Cup
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario − Longshot G T Five Hundred gave trainer Dale Desruisseaux his second stakes victory on Sunday’s Woodbine Oaks card under a fine ride from Jose Campos in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup.
G T Five Hundred assumed a stalking position along the inside in the 7 1/2-furlong inner turf tilt inside of Piper’s Factor and behind favored Maycocks Bay, who set a quick pace under Sofia Vives.
Piper’s Factor took dead aim at Maycocks Bay in the stretch before G T Five Hundred made a bid to take the lead at the sixteenth pole. He held off a late charge from Irish Acres to score by a half-length, in a time of 1:28.64 over the firm ground.
“Dale told me to let him stay behind the speed,” Campos said. “I never fought with the horse. When I asked him to run, he gave me everything he had in the lane.”
Maycocks Bay faded to third, a neck ahead of Piper’s Factor. Wyoming Bill, Awesome Bourbon, Magna Time, and King Size completed the order of finish.
“I took the blinkers off today,” Desruisseaux said. “He’s worn blinkers every race of his life. I didn’t know if it was going to be a mistake, or not. It worked out. I just wanted to get him a little relaxed.”
G T Five Hundred returned $64.20. The son of Astern earned $120,000 of the $203,200 purse for Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc., which also won Sunday’s Plate Trial Stakes with the Desruisseaux-trained Highwaytothemoon.
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