Karibu Gardens makes late move to win Sky Classic

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Karibu Gardens ($12.30) wore down Reporting Star and Money Talker in the stretch to notch his first stakes in the Grade 2, $203,200 Sky Classic at Woodbine on Saturday.

Reporting Star set slow fractions in the 10-furlong route on turf, which took some rain during the afternoon but remained firm. Money Talker stalked in second before joining Reporting Star on the lead in the stretch, where both were overtaken by Karibu Gardens, who prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 2:02.46.

“I got a perfect trip on the outside,” said Luis Contreras, who rode Karibu Gardens. “By the time I asked him to go, he gave me a good kick.”

Karibu Gardens banked $120,000 for Melnyk Racing Stable and trainer Josie Carroll.

Reporting Star nosed out Money Talker for second. Completing the order of finish were River Seven, Dynamic Sky, the 2-1 favorite Aldous Snow, and Forte Dei Marmi.

** Imperial Dream ($4.60) outran the 4-5 favorite Seffeara to land his stakes debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Vandal for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds.

Imperial Dream dueled with Seffeara through lively fractions before drawing clear to score by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:09.58 for the six furlongs. Sky Racer wound up a distant third in the five-horse field.

Patrick Husbands rode Imperial Dream, who is unbeaten in two starts for Tucci Stable and trainer Nick Gonzalez.

“Nick said in the paddock that you can do anything you want to with this horse,” Husbands said. “I shot him away from the gate, and I had a lot of horse.”