My Boy Prince romps in Simcoe Stakes
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - My Boy Prince established himself as one to watch for next year’s King’s Plate with a blowout score in Sunday’s $201,500 Simcoe, one of four stakes for graduates of Canadian Yearling Sales on the Woodbine card.
The $115,000 sale topper at the 2022 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, My Boy Prince led the way under Sahin Civaci while pressed by Summer Commander in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for male 2-year-olds.
My Boy Prince ($2.40) began to draw off at the quarter pole and then widened his lead throughout the stretch to prevail with ease by 14 lengths, in a quick time of 1:15.48.
Yacht Boy came on late to beat out Summer Commander for second in the 11-horse field.
“I like to play the break with these type of races,” Civaci said. “There could be some cheap speed that might want to go really fast. I broke out (of the gate) really well. I didn’t feel too much pressure. He was handling it really easy. When it was time to go, he just took off.”
A son of Cairo Prince, My Boy Prince earned $120,000 in his stakes debut for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse. Barber and Casse teamed to win this year’s King’s Plate with Paramount Prince.
** Hurricane Clair overcame a troubled break to graduate with authority in the $201,500 Muskoka, giving Civaci a sweep of the two juvenile stakes on the card.
Hurricane Clair ($4.30) bobbled when clipping heels at the break before racing about six lengths off the lead on the backstretch in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies.
Hurricane Clair began to mount a wide rally midway on the turn and then kicked in strongly through the stretch to win going away by 5 1/4 lengths, in a time of 1:18.46.
Saucy Name edged out her front-running stablemate Vandoo for second in the 11-horse field.
Marty Drexler trains Hurricane Clair, a daughter of Silent Name, who earned $120,000 for David Rowbotham and Partners 3.
“I thought she would have been a little closer, but she got into a little bit of a mess at the beginning,” Drexler said. “I think that cost her a little bit of position. It worked out fine. I haven’t had that many great 2-year-olds, and this one has been good right from the beginning. We thought she’d probably be one of the horses to beat in this spot. She’s pretty professional.”
** Rapid Test ($4.10) rallied along the inside on the turn and then split horses in the stretch en route to a 1 1/4-length tally over Legal Catch in the $100,000 Elgin for male 3-year-olds.
Rapid Test covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.10. Kazushi Kimura rode the son of Souper Speedy for trainer Catherine Day Phillips, who sent him out to win an allowance in his previous outing.
“He was really impressive in his last race, and finished up really strong,” Kimura said. “Today, (there was more traffic in front of him), but he exploded again and impressed me again.”
Rapid Test collected $60,000 in his first stakes win for Kingfield Racing Stable and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds.
** Another favored offspring of Souper Speedy, Souper Sinclair notched her first stakes in the $100,000 Algoma for 3-year-old fillies.
With Jose Campos aboard and blinkers on, Souper Sinclair came from mid-pack to nail Zana on the wire to win by a nose, in a time of 1:25.03 for the seven furlongs.
“I knew I had a chance to win at the quarter pole,” Campos said. “I thought (Zana) was never going to stop. I tried with everything I had, and finally, I caught her.”
Souper Sinclair ($4) banked $60,000 for the partnership of Praven Sorensen and The Estate of Dennis Tucker.
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