Lismore Knight captures Summer Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored New York invader Lismore Knight put away a game Wando in the final strides to capture the Grade 2 for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Sunday.

Lismore Knight stalked the pace under Pat Day, as My Boy Kyle and Natchez dueled through fractions of :22.55 and :45.48 in the one-mile turf event. Day checked Lismore Knight early on the turn, but got him back on track for the stretch run, and he came inside Wando in the final furlong to prevail by a head in a time of 1:35.33 seconds.

"He wasn't real quick early," said Day. "He started to get his feet under him after the first half-mile, but then we got pinched back a little into the turn. I thought that might have discouraged him, but it didn't. We bided our time coming off the turn until we found a seam, and when I called on him, he responded very gamely. (Wando) made a real race of it."

Lismore Knight ($5) earned $174,750 of the $291,250 purse for owners J.J. Pletcher and Barry Simon. A son of Woodman, he is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Walls of Jericho rallied to finish 6 1/2 lengths back in third in the 11-horse field. Stroll was scratched.