Passion for Action runs down speed in Highlander

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Passion for Action mowed down all the speed to get home on top at a juicy 6-1 in the $224,000 Highlander Stakes on the Queen’s Plate undercard at Woodbine on Sunday.

Lady Shipman, the heavily favored Belmont invader, fought for the lead with Something Extra through quick fractions in the six-furlong turf sprint. Passion for Action ($15.30) saved ground in a trailing position on the turn, and then began to mount a wide rally between rivals early in the stretch. He scored by a neck over Green Mask, in a time of 1:08.05 over the firm ground.

Something Extra weakened to third, and was followed by Hootenanny, Lady Shipman, and Black Hornet.

Passion for Action was the third winner on the card for Eurico Da Silva, who got a leg up from trainer Mike DePaulo on the son of Speightstown.

“I had a lot of speed to run at,” said Da Silva. “I was not worried about the speed, because they were going very fast and would come back to me. I [tried] to save as much ground as I could. I decided to stay inside, and was lucky I got through. When I asked him, he ran very hard.”

With three stakes wins in four starts at the meet, Passion for Action is Woodbine’s leading sprinter. He banked $144,000 in the Grade 2 event for owner/breeder Ben Hutzel.

“He’s an awesome horse,” said Hutzel. “He’s not a big horse, but he’s got more heart than any horse I ever had.”