Helium stays perfect, draws away in Display Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Helium justified his favoritism with a thoroughly professional win to remain unbeaten in Sunday’s $101,600 Display Stakes for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Helium stalked a three-way pace battle on the outside in the seven-furlong sprint. He blew by the leaders early in the stretch before drawing away for a 4 1/4-length win, in a time of 1:22.62.

Gospel Way was a gutsy second, and Decimator rallied for third in the seven-horse field. Rocket Reload was scratched.

Helium was the second stakes winner on the card for jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, who also won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf on Say the Word.

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“He’s a pro,” Wilson said. “The first time he ran, we just wanted to get his legs [underneath him] and come running. He was up near the point, and when I asked him to quicken, he quickened. Today, I was pretty confident. They set some decent fractions in front of him, and he wasn’t fazed. The horse on the outside moved up, and he wanted to go, but we just waited. Sure enough, when I pulled the trigger, he went.”

Helium ($4.80) was the third winner on the card for leading trainer Mark Casse. The Kentucky-bred son of Ironicus earned $60,000 for D J Stable.