Military Time picks up first stakes win in Prince of Wales
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE:quality(75))
The late-blooming Mark Casse trainee Military Time prevailed with determination when landing his first stakes under Fraser Aebly in Monday’s $480,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie.
Favored Military Time tracked the dueling leaders Keepmypowderdry and Fire and Wine along the inside in the 1 3/16-mile dirt route, racing inside of Highwaytothemoon on the backstretch.
The Manitoba-bred Brachetto rallied along the rail on the far turn as Aebly angled Military Time wide for the drive. Military Time hit the front in midstretch en route to a half-length win over Brachetto, in a time of 1:56.02.
The maiden Buium rallied outside to finish another neck back in third, a neck ahead of a tiring Keepmypowderdry. Fire and Wine, Auntie’s Bambino, Highwaytothemoon, and Imyourmedicineman rounded out the field of Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
Aebly said he wanted to avoid trouble when going outside of Keepmypowderdry entering the stretch, rather than remaining inside.
“There was a clear trip out and I took it,” Aebly explained. “I knew the horse inside me was trying to get out too, and I had enough to keep him pinned in there and still win the race. It worked out. This is a childhood dream come true. I’m over the moon.”
Aebly also rode Military Time when the son of Gun Runner added blinkers and finished a wide-closing second in the $ 1 million King’s Plate, the opening leg of the Triple Crown at Woodbine Aug. 15.
“He is growing as a horse, every time I sit on him,” Aebly said. “The blinkers made a huge improvement in the Plate. He showed that again today. He’s just getting better and better.”
Military Time ($5.80) earned $300,000 for owners Gary Barber and Vincent Viola’s St. Elias Stable.
Casse was non-committal regarding whether or not Military Time will contest the anchor leg of the Triple Crown, the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on the main turf at Woodbine Sept. 27.
“Not sure yet,” Casse said via text.
* Jockey Pietro Moran swept both $150,000 stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds on Monday’s Fort Erie card, taking the Rondeau Bay for fillies on Regal Affair and the Lake Erie for colts and geldings on My Covenant.
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