Pender Harbour wins Steady Growth for third time

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Pender Harbour ($9.10) captured the $125,800 Steady Growth Stakes for the third time under Luis Contreras on Saturday at Woodbine.

Asserting Bear, the 3-1 favorite, set honest fractions in the 1 1/16-mile route, while San Nicola Thunder stalked in second in the 10-horse field of Ontario-sired runners. Pender Harbour mounted a wide rally from well back on the far turn and then hit the front nearing the eighth pole before holding off Asserting Bear and Keen Gizmo in the final sixteenth.

Pender Harbour prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a quick time of 1:43.08. Asserting Bear was demoted from second to fourth by disqualification for interfering with Millioninthemaking, who was promoted from fourth to third.

Mike De Paulo trains Pender Harbour, Canada’s champion 3-year-old male in 2011. The 7-year-old gelding banked $75,000 for a partnership headed by Denny Andrews.

“He’s just a tough horse,” De Paulo said. “Luis rode him really well.”